Program in Ethics in Science and Medicine

On the UT Southwestern campus, the Program in Ethics in Science and Medicine (Ethics Program) is involved in activities ranging from clinical and research ethics consultation, to administering the Donor Advocacy Program for Transplantation Services, to developing and delivering ethics curriculum from the high school student to medical school faculty. Scholarship and research within the program includes ethics of emerging technologies, ethics and policy issues around health disparities, organizational ethics in research institutions, science policy, and psychiatric ethics. 

The UT Southwestern Program in Ethics in Science and Medicine is at the center of bioethics and medical humanities-related activities in the North Texas academic community. We have collaborative relationships (educational, research, clinical) with the University of Texas at Dallas, University of Texas at Arlington, University of North Texas, Southern Methodist University, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Baylor University Medical Center-Dallas’ Office of Clinical Ethics, and the Dallas Institute of Humanities & Culture.

Through our “building an ethics community” philosophy, our program aims to be the hub for bioethics in the North Texas area and to provide a broad and deep grasp of ethical and conceptual issues in medicine, science, and technology today. 

Educating Students

Our involvement with the education of our students begins the first year (MS1) and extends through all four years with a curriculum that is provided through the UT Southwestern Medical School Colleges. We also provide electives for medical students, as well as students in our Physician Assistant program. Our educational reach does not end with graduation, as we also provide electives and didactic training for our residents and clinical fellows.  Our Interactive Ethics program, in cooperation with UT Southwestern STARS, provides twice-yearly online case discussions on clinical and research ethics with hundreds of North Texas high school students. 

The Ethics Grand Rounds series at UT Southwestern is provided by the program, and features the annual Daniel W. Foster, M.D. Visiting Lectureship in Medical Ethics.