Path of Distinction Bioethics

Graduation with Distinction in Bioethics will be conferred upon SMPH medical students who, in addition to completing the requirements for the MD degree, satisfactorily meet the following requirements by April 15 of the year of graduation:

• Good standing in the Medical School Program

• Complete MED HIST (Medical History & Bioethics) 729, “Introduction to Bioethics”

  • Typically taken in either first or third semester of Phase 1

• Complete MED HIST 730, “Topics in Bioethics”

  • Typically taken in second semester of Phase 1

• Complete at least one approved Phase 3 selective.

  • Currently approved selectives include:
    • MED HIST 740, “Narrative Medicine and Public Health”
    • MED HIST 741, “Ethical Issues in Public Health”
    • MED HIST 742, “Ethical Issues in U.S. Health Care Policy”
    • MEDHIST 744: “Intro to Medical Humanities”
    • MED HIST 745, “Clinical Ethics: Individual and Population Considerations”
    • MED HIST 746, “Race, Science, and Medicine: Past and Present”
    • MED HIST 750, “Outbreak!: Epidemics, Migration, and the Changing Contours of Global Health”
    • SURGERY 973, “Optimizing Value, Quality, and Safety in Health Care: A Case Study in Surgery”
    • OBS&GYN 917, “Race in American Obstetrics & Gynecology”

• Participate in the Bioethics Learning Community (BLC)

  • Phase 1: Attend at least 4 BLC discussions
  • Phase 3: Attend at least 4 BLC discussions
  • Phase 3: Attend at least one Hospital Ethics Committee (HEC) meeting.
  • Attend at least one SMPH Bioethics Symposium sometime during Phases 1-3.

• Complete a supervised scholarly Bioethics Research Project by April 15 of graduation year. Bioethics Research Project topics and plans (including the supervisor’s name and affiliation) must be approved by the POD-B Directors by January 15 of graduation year. The Bioethics Research Project should be at least 2,500 words (excluding footnotes and references). Examples include but are not limited to:

  • Original bioethics research
  • A scholarly book review of a recently published bioethics book
  • An expanded version of a submission to the annual Norman Fost Award for the Best Medical Student Bioethics Essay contest

Note: Owing to limited faculty capacity, POD-B candidates should not expect to complete the required Bioethics Research Project as a Shapiro Research Project with bioethics faculty. Students interested in using the Shapiro program to undertake the POD-B research project should connect with prospective Shapiro mentors early in Phase 1 to explore this possibility. If one might seek POD-B credit for a Shapiro project whose mentor is not a member of the Bioethics faculty, it is a good idea to run the project by the POD-B directors first.

In addition to the Shapiro program, POD-B students might also look into ethics-related projects as part of the paid DFMCH Summer Student Research Clinical Assistantship. The POD-B faculty directors can help look for synergies between a student’s ethics interests and DFMCH faculty

• Present the Bioethics Research Project orally at the SMPH Bioethics Research Symposium (to be held each year on the Monday following the annual SMPH Bioethics Symposium).

Students interested in the Path of Distinction in Bioethics are encouraged to participate in the program throughout medical school. Students are encouraged to submit a Notice of Intent through the online application system* during Phase 1. This will ensure they are added to messages, announcements and reminders that are sent to the Bioethics Learning Community. The completed research project and an application documenting the completion of all POD-B requirements must be submitted by April 15 of graduation year.

Phase 1: Submit a Declaration of Intent

Phase 3, by April 15^th of graduating year: Submit the Application for Distinction