The Program in Medicine and Human Values (PMHV) furthers excellence in patient care and medicine by providing bioethics education opportunities for community members and healthcare professionals.
Innovative Bioethics Education
Bioethics Webinars and Events
Our webinar series focus on effective communication skills and best practices integral for patient care. PMHV bioethics professionals provide practical solutions that healthcare providers can use in their practice. If you are a healthcare provider and would like information on viewing our educational webinar series you may contact Antonio Kruger, (415) 600-1647 or email, ethics@sutterhealth.org.
Roots of Bioethics
In memory of our program’s co-founder, Dr. Albert R. Jonsen, Sutter Health’s Program in Medicine and Human Values has launched Roots of Bioethics, a new speaker series, to highlight early pioneers in the field. The inaugural virtual session held on Jan 26, 2022, focused on Moral Distress and featured Dr. Andy Jameton, Dr. Shilpa Shashidhara, and Dr. William Andereck. An access link to the event recording is available upon request.
The second session will focus on Moral Courage and take place in early 2023. Further details will be updated for future sessions.
Virtual Ethics Workshop
Our 17th annual bioethics education workshop was held virtually for the third consecutive year. As a result, we were again able to offer this education opportunity to attendees across the country. This Virtual Bioethics Workshop, titled “Beyond the Basics: Problem Solving Unique Cases”, focused on helping participants refine their analytical skills to resolve complex patient situations. PMHV senior clinical bioethicist Shilpa Shashidhara, Ph.D., served as program chair.
Participants represented 38 institutions, from California to Maryland, and several health systems, such as Sutter Health, Dignity Health, and Kaiser Permanente.
Please check back in early 2023 for the future date and topic.
International Collaborations
We take pride in our long-standing international collaborations, including:
- Neuroethics Network — This project of the Neuroscience, Éthique et Société Association and hosted by Institut du Cerveau et de la Moëlle Épinière expands dialogue by promoting interdisciplinary interactions. Researchers, doctors and patients come together under one roof, fostering a vital multi-faceted approach.
- Cambridge Consortium for Bioethics Education — PMHV partners with Cambridge University Press to bring together bioethics educators from all over the world to share information on bioethics education innovation and scholarship.
- International Bioethics Retreat — At this unique meeting, invited experts in medicine, philosophy, law and health policy from around the world present current research projects. Informal sessions include audience discussion. Every year the retreat expands and strengthens the international community of bioethicists.
Clinical Ethics Fellowship Program
This one-year fellowship provides intensive practical training in clinical ethics consultation in a large community hospital with a diverse, multicultural population. We seek to provide fellows the skills and experience required for clinical ethics consultation in a healthcare setting. The program embraces the American Society for Bioethics and Humanities Core Competencies for Healthcare Ethics Consultation.
For more information about the fellowship, please email Dr. Ruchika Mishra.
Graduate Medical Education
As part of our collaboration with CPMC and Sutter Santa Rosa Regional Hospital Graduate Medical Education, PMHV bioethicists educate doctors-in-training about how best to respond to challenging care situations. These education sessions have benefitted residents and fellows from internal medicine, psychiatry, critical care, cardiology, ophthalmology and family medicine specialties.
Ethical Times Newsletter
PMHV produces the Ethical Times Newsletter four times a year. It is written by our bioethicists and includes topics on healthcare ethics and activities of the ethics program. A recurring article, “The Ethicist is In,” describes a challenging patient case with ethical implications.
For information about other education options, please contact krugera@sutterhealth.org.