Ethics in Healthcare

Catalog description

This course explores ethical questions and issues in healthcare professions. Beginning with an introduction to ethics, moral theories, moral principles of bioethics, and the art of critical thinking about ethical issues, then examining ethical problems encountered in healthcare professions. This part of the course consists of case studies and primary readings in bioethics. Some of the questions asked include: is it morally permissible to lie to a patient, end the life of a suffering patient, clone a human being, kill a fetus, kill an infant, genetically screen a fetus, sell organs, use stem cells for research, or conduct randomized clinical trials on human beings. Students will apply various moral theories and principles to address these questions and in turn seek to discover their own appropriate solutions.