I was assigned a mini-project a few weeks ago: research ethics educational opportunities for members of the hospital’s ethics committee.
The challenge was to find a quality, affordable program that would be possible to complete while working full time.
Here are the intriguing programs that I found in my research:
- Saint Louis University - Certificate in Clinical Health Care Ethics
- Nieswanger Institute for Bioethics & Public Policy (at Loyola Chicago) - Certificate in Bioethics and Public Policy with a Catholic Concentration
- Duquesne University - Graduate Certificate in Healthcare Ethics
- Rush University - Certificate of Graduate Study in Health Care Ethics
- National Catholic Bioethics Center - National Catholic Certification Program in Healthcare Ethics
These programs vary in length, cost and curriculum, but they all seem suited to the task of educating members of ethics committees.
Unfortunately, my alma mater, Aquinas Institute of Theology, does not offer a certificate program that fits our immediate need. (If we had more time/resources, the Master of Arts in Health Care Mission would be a fantastic choice.) However, they do offer, via iTunes U, a free repository of educational content. The Contemporary Issues feed includes presentations from Jean DeBlois, C.S.J., Fr. Richard Peddicord, O.P., Fr. Benedict Ashley, O.P., and Fr. Charles Bouchard, O.P. - all prominent moral theologians - on relevant health care issues.
It’s not a certificate program, but it is top-notch educational opportunity for free. Please give it a look.
