The Medical Student Certificate in Biomedical Ethics comprises three components that build upon the core curricular offerings in ethics provided in Foundations of Medical Knowledge and Foundations of Clinical Care.
-Interdisciplinary Graduate Seminar, Ethics in Healthcare (IDIS 7222)
-Research Clerkship, focused on the student’s special research interests within ethics. Projects may combine empirical and conceptual work with mentorship provided by designated mentors within the Ethics, Education, Policy and Society area of the Medical Student Research Clerkship at VSOM. Students can expect to gain a degree of mastery in the research methods of ethics, and gain competence in addressing the ethical issues of medical research and practice, including health policy questions. The Interdisciplinary Graduate Seminar described below will be part of this Research Clerkship. The ideal time for the Clerkship in during a 4-6 month period that includes August-November.
-Apprenticeship with the Clinical Ethics Consult Service, which is offered as an Immersion Course. The Ethics Consult Service of the Center for Biomedical Ethics & Society provides formal consults to Vanderbilt University Medical Center Hospitals, and conducts a wide range of educational programs in ethics for faculty, staff, fellows, residents, students, and others.