Current Issues in Medicine

HSC 5636

COURSE TITLE:

Current Issues in Medicine

COURSE OVERVIEW:

This course is part of the Certificate in Health Care Ethics, a 4-course graduate certificate available through UWF's School of Allied Health and Life Sciences. All area health care practitioners or students of health care are encouraged to enroll. The focus of this certificate is on critical ethical issues facing health care providers, patients and their families. Dr. Gretchen Norling currently serves as the Director of the Association for Health Care Ethics. The certificate consists of four related courses that deal with currently important issues in health care ethics:
1. Current Issues in Medicine - This course focuses on an examination of philosophical issues that arise in conceptualizing the aims and practices of medicine.
2. Life, Illness and Death - This course will explore conflicting world views related to the confrontation of illness, suffering and death in the health care setting. Clinically relevant case studies will be employed.
3. Theoretical Foundations of Health Care Ethics - This is a course illuminating major ethical theories and their relation to health care ethics. The application and viability of these theoretical models will be tested with respect to training and professional practice in health care.
4. Clinical Ethics Grand Rounds - Students will participate in grand rounds with specified health care professionals. In response to various cases presented at ethics grand rounds, students will participate in mock round table bioethics consultations and committees. A clinical ethics case study is required.

INSTRUCTOR:

Dr. Grethchen Norling, Ph.D.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

gnorling@uwf.edu

PREREQUISITES OR COREQUISITES:

Those interested in this course and/or the Health Care Ethics Certificate Program should contact Dr. Gretchen Norling at gnorling@uwf.edu.

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

An examination of issues that arise in conceptualizing the aims and practices of medicine. Some focus on the health care practitioner’s experience with difficult decisions regarding patient care and self care.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES (Objectives):

• Grasping health care ethics and related medical issues theoretically and practically.
• Case studies and medical ‘narratives’ will be the key illuminators for this task.

TOPICS COVERED:

1. Theoretical bases for doing health care ethics.
2. Some focusing on particular qualities the health care practitioner must have such as altruism, knowledge, skill, and a sense of duty.
3. The health care practitioner – patient relationship starts with a story; the understanding and experience of such ‘narrative’ will be examined.

REQUIRED TEXTS:

• A Life in Medicine: A Literary Anthology. Robert Coles, M.D. (Editor), New Press. [ISBN 1-56-584729-6]
• Stories Matter: The Role of Narrative in Medical Ethics. Rita Charon, M.D. (Editor), Routledge. [ISBN 0-41-592838-9]

GRADING/EVALUATION:

• 25% 5-10 page paper analyzing a medical ethics issue
• 25% 2-5 page case study from practitioner’s experience which illuminates his or her developing ethics position.
• 25% attendance, attentiveness to individual needs and comments, bringing of helpful germane materials to class and participation
• 25% Take Home Final Exam