MEDU-4169 - Intro to Bioethics/Health Humanities

	SOM Preclinical Preceptorships

Course Title Intro to Bioethics/Health Humanities		Course Number MEDU-4169	Duration/Weeks 4
Prerequisites: Successful completion of year 1 Additional Requirements: Enrollment in Bioethics and Health Humanities Scholarly Concentration (preceptorship will ordinarily be taken between Year 1 and Year 2)
Responsible Faculty Director: Miriam Rich, PhD Other Faculty: Lisa Campo-Englestein, PhD	Available Dates • July 13 - August 7, 2026	Application Submission Deadline 4/3/2026	Maximum Enrollment 5

Where and to whom the application should be submitted

Please contact Tawny Stromberg for application information. tlstromb@utmb.edu

Goals & Objectives

Goals: The goal of this class is for students to gain a foundation in the various topics, disciplines, and methods in bioethics and health humanities. Students will also select and begin researching a topic in bioethics and health humanities, which will serve as the basis for their later fourth-year research selective. Objectives: Describe the history, scope, and goals of the field of bioethics and health humanities; critically assess traditional and contemporary bioethics and health humanities theories and methods; apply bioethics and health humanities concepts to cases; formulate bioethics and health humanities arguments.

Description of course activities

This course serves as the summer preceptorship for the Bioethics and Health Humanities Scholarly Concentration. It introduces students to foundational topics, methods, and disciplines in bioethics and the health humanities. Students participate in and complete assignments for graduate-level courses in Interdisciplinary Methods and Clinical Ethics and attend a weekly department seminar each week. They also meet weekly with a faculty mentor to select and begin researching a particular topic in bioethics and health humanities, which will later form the basis of their fourth-year research selective project. Monday: Participate in in-class discussions/activities for graduate-level BHH course, "Interdisciplinary Methods" (requires completion of assigned readings and short writing assignments for class) Tuesday: Meet with faculty mentor to work on selecting research topic and completing annotated bibliography Wednesday: Participate in in-class discussions/activities for graduate-level BHH course, "Introduction to Clinical Ethics" (requires completion of assigned readings and short writing assignments for class) Thursday: Attend and participate as appropriate in weekly BHH department seminar, which may entail works-in-progress workshop, themed workshop, or guest speaker event

Method of student evaluation
Check all that apply - complete appropriate section(s) only:

1. Clinical Observation
	A.	Frequency - How often are students observed clinically?

	B.	Format - What method(s) are used to document the student's clinical performance?
		Daily oral feedback End of period oral feedback Written feedback Other

2. Oral Presentation
	A.	Audience - To whom does the student present?

	B.	Frequency / duration of presentation(s)?

	C.	Format - What guidelines are set for the student's presentation?

	D.	Assessment - Who assesses the student's presentation performance?
		Self-assessment Peer assessment Faculty assessment
	E.	Method of content selection
		Current cases Student-selected topic Assigned topic

3. Written Assignment (H&P's, notes, papers, abstracts, etc.)
	A.	Frequency of written assignment(s)?
		Twice weekly
	B.	Format - What guidelines are set for the student's written work?
		Reflection posts and short papers, as laid out in syllabus rubrics, for Interdisciplinary Methods and Clinical Ethics courses; annotated bibliography on proposed research topic
	C.	Length of written assignment(s)?
		Abstract Annotated bibliography 1 - 2 page paper 3+ page paper
	D.	Are recent references required?
		Yes No
	E.	Method of content selection - e.g. student-selected, relate to cases, etc.?
		Related to coursework and student-selected
	F.	Audience - Who assesses the student’s written performance?
		Peer Assessment Faculty Assessment Other

4. Extra Course Activities
	What expectations do you have for the student to demonstrate participation in the course (e.g. small group activities, seminars, thoughtful questions, providing resources, journal club, etc.)?
		Attend and participate in graduate-level Interdisciplinary Methods and Clinical Ethics seminar courses; attend weekly Bioethics and Health Humanities department seminars (Thursdays, 12-1pm) and ask thoughtful questions; meet regularly with faculty mentor

5. Other Modes of Evaluation
	Please explain below.
	N/A (reading materials available on Blackboard and/or through UTMB library)

6. Stipend Availability
	Yes No Maybe

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