Observe. Reflect. Transform. The Master s in Bioethics Program

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Claude Crawford
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1 Observe. Reflect. Transform. The Master s in Bioethics Program

2 Advances in medical technology have created complicated moral choices. Bioethics has emerged as a field in response to those choices. The Master s in Bioethics Program at Case Western Reserve University helps prepare and enhance the careers of physicians, nurses, lawyers, social workers, and policy makers who will inevitably struggle with tough decisions in patient care and health policy. End-of-life decisions, protection of research subjects, proper use of genetic information, stem cells, cognitive enhancement, and health care disparities, are all issues on the table. New ones are emerging, each within a unique international and cultural framework. OBSERVE AND REFLECT Why Earn an MA in Bioethics at CWRU? An MA in Bioethics is a great way to: gain important knowledge and insight into today s pressing bioethics issues add value to a professional career in medicine, law, social work, nursing, or public health help choose a career path after completing undergraduate school through exposure to faculty in a variety of professions and academic disciplines increase your chances of getting into professional or graduate school have a good time. Bioethics is just plain fascinating! Clinical Experience When it comes to colleges and careers, recruiters and admissions counselors recognize the value of clinical immersion. A robust clinical experience has been a core element of the M.A. program since its inception and sets our program apart from many others. Students become immersed in the clinical, psychosocial, professional, and institutional contexts in which ethical problems arise through: attendance at meetings of hospital ethics committees and institutional review boards (IRBs) observation of Clinical Ethics Consults review and discussion of hospital policies concerning do not resuscitate orders (DNR), advance directives, withdrawal of artificial feeding, organ procurement and transplantation, and medical futility maintaining a clinical log that they will discuss at weekly supervisory meetings with a clinical ethicist from their rotation site

struggle with tough decisions in patient care and health policy.

3 TRANSFORM Change Your Life through Learning and Collaboration with Distinguished Faculty Our faculty members represent the fields of medicine, law, philosophy, women s studies, and anthropology. They serve on a variety of national and international boards and task forces and hold leadership positions in national Bioethics organizations. Their interests and expertise are in organ transplantation, stem cell research, tissue banking, ethics of genomic research, reproductive ethics, definitions of death, international research ethics, and health disparities. All of our faculty teach in the MA program and are easily accessible to students. Faculty Collaborations and Partnerships The Department of Bioethics has close ties with the highly-regarded Law Medicine Center at the School of Law, and collaborates with several of its faculty members in research and teaching. The leaders of the clinical ethics programs at MetroHealth Medical Center, Cleveland Clinic, and University Hospitals have significant teaching roles in our MA program. We also have collaborations with faculty in the Case Western Reserve University College of Arts and Sciences, including members from the departments of philosophy, anthropology, cognitive science, history, and sociology. The required hours of clinical observations at the hospitals, as part of the Foundations in Bioethics course, helped me understand the doctor-patient relationship and ethical issues faced in the clinical setting.

Their interests and expertise are in organ transplantation, stem cell research, tissue banking, ethics of genomic research, reproductive ethics, definitions of death, international research ethics,

4 INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE Different cultures understand and address ethical issues in medicine and the life sciences in unique ways. Gaining an appreciation for this international diversity is critical in today s world, and can be both illuminating and challenging. The Department of Bioethics has developed study abroad partnerships with academic institutions in other countries. These short-term study abroad courses are taught by CWRU and international faculty, and take place over the winter, spring, and summer breaks. Locations include Paris, Amsterdam, Salamanca (Spain), Costa Rica, and India. The courses provide a window into critical Bioethics questions such as end-of-life decisions, reproductive rights, and health care justice. In addition to giving students a broader perspective, the international experience also provides them with an opportunity to reflect on how culture has helped shape their own individual views about issues central to the delivery of health care. My time spent in Costa Rica was a life-changing opportunity that compelled me to analyze my perspective on domestic and global health care.

The Department of Bioethics has developed study abroad partnerships with academic institutions in other countries.

5 DUAL-DEGREE OFFERINGS The dual-degree program offers students a chance to enrich their future careers in health-related professions. In addition, the two degrees can be obtained at a substantial savings in time and cost. MA / JD Earn your Master of Arts in Bioethics with a Doctor of Jurisprudence. Offered in cooperation with the School of Law. MA / MSN Earn your Master of Arts in Bioethics with a Master of Science in Nursing. Offered in cooperation with the School of Nursing. MA / MPH Earn your Master of Arts in Bioethics with a Master of Public Health. Offered in cooperation with the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics. MSSA / MA Earn your Master of Arts in Bioethics with a Master of Science in Social Administration. This Side-by-Side joint degree program is offered in cooperation with the Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences. MA / MD Earn your Master of Arts in Bioethics with the MD degree. Offered in cooperation with the School of Medicine or the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University.

Offered in cooperation with the School of Law. MA / MSN Earn your Master of Arts in Bioethics with a Master of Science in Nursing. Offered in cooperation with the School of Nursing.

6 Contact Us: Marie Norris, Graduate Studies Coordinator Department of Bioethics Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine Euclid Ave. Cleveland, OH p: f:

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