This clinical elective is designed to provide the student with an understanding of the clinical practice of medical ethics. Students will be expected to write at least 4 case analyses, one per week over the one-month elective. These case analyses will be developed in light of assigned readings. This clinical elective is designed to offer suitably prepared students an opportunity to do clinical research in medical ethics. The month is devoted to carrying out clinically based research and to writing up a preliminary research report.
Students engage in supervised preparatory research prior to the one-month elective.
Students whose work is judged to be of potentially publishable quality will be assigned a grade of honors and will be encouraged to submit their work for publication. During the clinical rotations medical students receive medical ethics instruction as a part of special units designed exclusively for medical students and as part of their attendance at programs designed for house staff education. Medical ethics is incorporated as a required part of clinical rotations in internal medicine, surgery and pediatrics.