Medical Ethics Syllabus

PHR 21403 Medical Ethics Fall 2018 PHR 21403 - 30 Medical Ethics 8/20/2018 - 12/06/2018 Thursday 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm 980 East Main Street Jackson, Ohio 45640 Instructor: ​Paul Turack Email: ​[email protected] University Webpage:​ ​https://base.rio.edu/faculty-staff/pturack/ COURSE DESCRIPTION ● Medical ethics is the study of ethics in the context of modern medical practices, medical personnel, technologies, and institutions. The study of medical ethics is indispensable for training ethically informed professionals in a variety of medical fields. ● In this course we will utilize a case-study approach in order to explore the personal, historical, legal, economic, and political dimensions of medical ethical issues. ● Lectures will be given on normative ethical theory and Rawlsian, Marxist, and Libertarian theories of justice in order to facilitate informed discussion. Collaborative learning and class participation will be of vital importance in this class. LEARNING OBJECTIVES ● Students will gain familiarity with the history of medicine, modern medical technologies, operations of medical institutions, the varieties of medical personnel and support staff, existing legislation which regulates the medical industry and individuals seeking medical care, and factors influencing the distribution of medical resources domestically and internationally. ● Students will become well-acquainted with important case studies in medical ethics, buttressed by a solid grounding in normative ethical theory and theories of justice. ● Students will become adept in moral casuistry (i.e. the resolving of moral problems by the application of theoretical rules to particular instances). ● Via collaborative learning students will improve their research and communication skills. ● Students will become well-practiced in clear and concise reasoning, develop critical and analytical thinking skills, and become habituated to the careful reading of texts. ● A foundation will be set for future studies, either academically or individually, into ethics, history of medicine, philosophy of science, and law and medicine. COURSE TEXT ● Pence, Gregory E. ​Medical Ethics: Accounts of Ground-Breaking Cases. ​ Seventh Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill Education, 2011. COURSE REQUIREMENTS 1 of 5 PHR 21403 Medical Ethics Fall 2018 ● Weekly Quizzes ○ There is no attendance policy for this course, however, if class is not attended a student will not be permitted to take the weekly quiz. ○ The weekly quiz will be given every week and its content will be derived from the assigned readings and in-class lectures. ○ Quiz format includes multiple choice, matching, fill in the blank, and short answer questions. ○ The lowest two quiz grades will be dropped. Twelve quizzes total will be given. ○ Quizzes constitute 25% of the overall grade. ● Exams ○ The exam content in this course will be derived from the readings and in-class lectures as well. Any content covered in lectures, especially board notes, should be considered potential exam material (note-taking is advised). ○ Exam format includes multiple choice, matching, fill in the blank, and short answer questions. ○ A total of 3 exams will be given. Each exam is worth 25% of the overall grade. EXTRA CREDIT ● Aside from extra credit questions appended to the exams, no other opportunities for extra credit will be given. LATE POLICY ● Late quizzes will not be accepted. ● If a student thinks she/he will not be present for an exam, inform the instructor prior to the exam date. If the exam date has already passed, it is up to the instructor’s discretion whether or not to allow a student to take a late examination. If the exam is missed and the instructor has not heard from the student within a week, a late examination will not be permitted. GRADE BREAKDOWN ● Quizzes - 25% ● Exam #1 - 25% ● Exam #2 - 25% ● Exam #3 - 25% GRADE SCALE ● A (93+) ● A(90-92) ● B+ (87-89) ● B (83-86) ● B(80-82) ● C+ (77-79) ● C (73-76) 2 of 5 PHR 21403 ● ● ● ● ● ● ● CD+ D DF NF I Medical Ethics Fall 2018 (70-72) (67-69) (63-66) (60-62) (0-59) CLASS RULES ● Academic integrity is expected. ● Cell phones turned to “vibrate” and laptops are to be used for class-relevant work only (i.e. notes, research, etc.). ● No headphones during class/exams. ● If a student’s behavior becomes disruptive, she/he will be removed from class. If it happens repeatedly, she/he will be removed from this course. READING AND TEACHING SCHEDULE1 8/23 Introduction to Course Ethical Reasoning and Fallacies Read Ch. 1 8/30 Normative Ethical Theory: Kantian Deontology Medical Dilemmas: Patient’s Right to Know and Hippocratic Oath 9/06 Normative Ethical Theory: Bentham and Mill’s Utilitarianism Medical Dilemmas: “Transplant” and “Injured Mining Crew” 9/13 Normative Ethical Theory: Aristotelian Virtue Ethics and Natural Law Models of Justice: Libertarian, Rawlsian, Marxist Medical Dilemmas: Is Biology Destiny? Is Healthcare a Right? 9/20 Exam #1: Ethical Reasoning, Ethical Theory, and Theories of Justice Exam Review Read Ch. 2, 3, and 4 9/27 Requests to Die: Non-Terminal Patients and Terminal Patients Comas: Karen Quinlan, Nancy Cruzan, and Terri Schiavo Read Ch. 5 and 7 10/4 Abortion: The Trial of Kenneth Edelin Embryos, Stem Cells, and Cloning Read Ch. 6 and 8 1 This schedule is tentative and subject to revision at instructor’s discretion. 3 of 5 PHR 21403 Medical Ethics Fall 2018 10/11 Assisted Reproduction, Multiple Births, and Elderly Parents The Ethics of Treating Impaired Babies Read Ch. 9 and 10 10/18 Medical Research on Animals Medical Research on Vulnerable Human Subjects 10/25 Exam #2: The Ethics of Euthanasia, Reproduction, and Medical Research Exam Review Read Ch. 11, 12, and 13 11/01 Surgeons’ Desire for Fame: Ethics of the First Transplants Just Distribution of Organs: God Committee and Personal Responsibility Using One Baby for Another: Babies Fae, Gabriel, and Theresa and Conjoined Twins Read Ch. 14, 15, and 17 11/08 Involuntary Psychiatric Commitment: The Case of Joyce Brown Ethical Issues if Intersex and Transgender Persons Ethical Issues in Stopping the Global Spread of AIDS Read Ch. 16 and 19 11/15 Ethical Issues in Testing for Genetic Disease Ethical Issues in Medical Enhancement Read Ch. 18 11/22 No Class: Thanksgiving Break 11/29 Ethical Issues with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 12/06 (Finals Week) Exam #3: The Ethics of Medical “Progress” and Medical Resources INSTITUTIONAL POLICIES MENTAL HEALTH STATEMENT: As a student, you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers to learning, such as strained relationships, increased anxiety, alcohol/drug problems, feeling down, difficulty concentrating and/or lack of motivation. These mental health concerns or stressful events may lead to diminished academic performance or reduce your ability to participate in daily activities. Services are available to assist you with addressing these and other concerns you may be experiencing. Contact the office of Accessibility (740-245-7439) to learn more about the confidential mental health services available to you. ADA POLICY: If a student wishes to be identified as having a physical, mental, or learning 4 of 5 PHR 21403 Medical Ethics Fall 2018 disability, that may or may not require reasonable accommodation(s), he/she must register with the Office of Accessibility. These registered students should identify themselves to their instructors and provide a written statement from the Accessibility Office that indicates the appropriate accommodations. The process of a student self-proclaiming the need for accommodation should occur as early in the semester as possible. The Office of Accessibility phone is 245-7339 and is located in Rhodes Hall, Room 116, University of Rio Grande. FERPA: The University of Rio Grande and Rio Grande Community College are committed to fully respecting and protecting the rights of students under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). These rights generally include the right to inspect, review and seek amendment to the student's education records and the right to provide written consent before personally identifiable information from education records is disclosed. Under FERPA, students have the right to file a complaint with the US Department of Education concerning alleged failures to comply with FERPA. Please see the Student Records Confidentiality/Rights Under FERPA section of the Student Handbook for details and more information. INCOMPLETE POLICY: Incompletes will only be granted for extenuating circumstances, such as illness, accident, etc. which will prevent the student from completing the course; an incomplete grade cannot be given to avoid a failing grade in the course. To apply for an incomplete, contact the Office of the Registrar. There is a $70 fee for incompletes (may be waived in certain circumstances). ACADEMIC DISHONESTY: Standard university policies, as described in the Student Handbook, apply. WITHDRAWAL: Standard university policies, as described in the Student Handbook, apply. Deadlines are listed on the campus website. 5 of 5