Has Anyone Taken Biomedical Ethics?

Saysfaa · Dec 19, 2012

I did. The prof teaches a class on the ethics of death on alternate years, so we didn't cover that. We covered the basic schools of philosophical thought (Kant, Mills, Locke). We covered some general principals such as what does (implied and explicit) consent mean and how does it apply in a medical setting. We probably spent the most time on who get to make decisions and why. We covered some specific topics like abortion, religious exemptions, organ transplant (limited supply so who decides where they go and why). Also, quite a lot on research.

We wrote one research paper.

I enjoyed the subject, not so much the teacher.

x_factor · Dec 19, 2012

Thank you Saysfaa, I do believe it's a subject I would enjoy as well, definitely much more than typical US History. Thanks for your feedback!

nguyency77, CNA · Dec 20, 2012

I took that class a while ago. It was philosophy. We only had to write one paper, and tests were over the reading. There were short answers like "What did author ________ say about abortion?" The rest of our class time was spent discussing the nightly readings. :) Hope that helps!

x_factor · Dec 20, 2012

Thanks for the reply! I've talked to a couple others who also said this particular class at my school consisted of a lot of discussion, and that a lot of the grade was based on getting involved in the discussions. Definitely sounds like a class I am very interested in. At the moment it's currently filled up, so I'm just waiting for a time slot to open up.

nguyency77, CNA · Dec 22, 2012

The teacher I had for that class doesn't seem to be teaching it anymore. Hm... I wonder if we're in the same geographical area! Where I am, that class is always full because everyone in the health programs needs it. EMT, nursing, RT... Even pharmacy techs need it I think!

x_factor · Dec 22, 2012

Yeah, it's full here too, so I dug around to see what program actually requires it, and it's required by the Sonography and EMT majors, but not the nursing students at my school. It's also got a low slot number, only 2 sections with 28 seats available in each section. That is really low for my school, most sections average between 50 and 60 seats.

The reviews for the teacher that's teaching it has really good reviews, says he's not overly difficult, but really likes students that get involved in discussions and that's where he throws out bonus points and does a lot of grading. Sounds like an interesting class. I figure since I'm going into nursing, taking a class that talks about medical related hot-topics wouldn't be a bad idea. Sounds more interesting than US history, lol.

chorkle · Dec 22, 2012

x_f--

My impression, from readings on AN, is that the transmission of Biomedical Ethics varies all over the lot.

It was a prereq, where I was doing prereqs, so I took it. Doesn't seem to be a prereq where NS starts next month.

Where, and when, I took the course, it seemed the assigned instructor might vary from one year to the next (just my impression). Took the course in (what some schools call) intermester--4-hour class, 4 afternoons a week, for 3 weeks. Intense, heavy course participation. Participation seemed to be the key--jump in, grab hold of the subject, be involved & outgoing--i.e., ALL of your conscious attn. & knowledge, up & out on the surface. (For me, this would be a great leap; I was excited about the course, I did it.)

One assigned reading, by individual choice--several hundred pages--& what could be called a book report--EXCEPT that if you excelled, you were absolutely fully engaged in that book, and conveyed this effortlessly to the class, in great, organized, depth.

Wonderful course.