The 2nd Annual Harvard Ethics Consultation Skills Course



This program, led by clinical ethics faculty from Harvard-affiliated hospitals, will provide practical, hands-on skills training and practice in conducting healthcare ethics consults. Intended for those new to performing ethics consultation, the course will utilize a flipped-classroom model and provide attendees opportunities to improve their skills in such activities as developing the consult question, communicating with consult stakeholders, leading team meetings, and documentation of ethics consults.
If you're interested in learning about next year's course, join this email list. Please note: signing up for this email list does not constitute as course registration.
Participants are expected to attend all four sessions and will receive a certificate of completion at the end of the course. All times are Eastern Standard Time.
This year's course directors are Jonathan Marron, MD, MPH, Director of Clinical Ethics, Harvard Medical School Center for Bioethics; and Leanne Homan, RN, BSN, MBE, Associate Director of Clinical Ethics, Harvard Medical School Center for Bioethics.
This course integrates both virtual and in-person components to provide attendees with practical, hands-on training and the skills necessary to perform healthcare ethics consultations at a high level. Led by faculty from Harvard-affiliated teaching hospitals and the Harvard Medical School Center for Bioethics, the course provides learners with skills and practice in all aspects of healthcare ethics consultation: from developing an ethics question to leading a meeting of stakeholders to documenting the consult, and everything in between.
The course consists of three virtual sessions (May 31, June 7, and June 14) and a full-day in-person session in Boston (June 23). A "flipped classroom" model will be utilized, in which attendees will be given readings and other preparatory materials to complete prior to the course sessions, allowing for maximal engagement with faculty and fellow attendees during the virtual and in-person course sessions. During the virtual sessions, attendees will hone their skills in all components of ethics consultation, utilizing various engaging modalities including mini-didactic sessions, small group discussions, role-playing, and partnered problem-solving. The in-person session will provide a capstone experience for participants in which they can practice the skills they have developed throughout the course in a series of mock ethics consultation activities. The in-person session also will include opportunities for connecting and networking with course attendees and faculty, special interest group meetings, and a keynote lecture by Thomas V. Cunningham, PhD, MA, MS, Bioethics Director at Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles Medical Center, a renowned expert in clinical ethics.
Following the completion of this course, participants should be able to:
Course fees cover access to all course materials, food and beverages during the in-person session (including breakfast, lunch, and end-of-day cocktail reception), and a certificate of course completion. Lodging and travel to/from Boston are not included.
The $250 USD registration is reserved for only those affiliated with Harvard Medical School or Harvard-affiliated teaching hospitals. Please email us if you are unsure whether you meet these affiliate criteria. Note: Registration is closed. We are not accepting late registrations.
Course faculty include expert clinical ethicists from the Harvard Medical School Center for Bioethics and Harvard-affiliated teaching hospitals, including:
The Harvard Medical School Center for Bioethics considers patient confidentiality to be of utmost importance. Though the course will involve immersive, hands-on instruction around clinical ethics cases, all teaching cases will be fictional, pulled from publicly-available sources, or fully anonymized in order to maintain patient confidentiality. Please contact the course directors with any confidentiality questions or concerns.
Registration costs cover access to all course materials, food and beverages during the in-person session (breakfast, lunch, and end-of-day cocktail session), and a certificate of course completion. Lodging and travel to/from Boston are not included. Visit the Parking at HMS webpage for directions, campus maps, public transportation information, and details about parking garage hours and rates. Information about local accommodation options convenient to Harvard Medical School as well as dining and leisure activities will be provided to course registrants.
Harvard University welcomes individuals with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you would like to request accommodations or have questions about the physical access provided, please email us in advance of your participation or visit. Requests for Sign Language interpreters and/or Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) providers should be made at least two (2) weeks in advance, if possible. Please note that the university will make every effort to secure services, but that services are subject to availability.
Harvard Medical School Center for Bioethics has taken necessary measures consistent with local regulations and guidelines to mitigate the risk of exposure to COVID-19. Despite these measures, COVID-19 is highly contagious, and we cannot guarantee that you will not be exposed to COVID-19 at any Center in-person event. By attending a Center in-person event, you acknowledge and assume this risk. You are encouraged to do your part by complying with all health and safety protocols recommended by Harvard Medical School and to follow all local laws and regulations. Learn more about how we Keep HMS Healthy.
Refund requests must be submitted in writing to bioethics@hms.harvard.edu by 11 p.m. ET on May 17, 2023. Requests will be reviewed by the appropriate Harvard Medical School Center for Bioethics staff and, if approved, will receive a 100% refund minus a $50 administrative fee. Requests sent after the deadline will not be approved and refunds will not be provided. Note: Registration is closed. We are not accepting late registrations.
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