The goal for the Bioethics and Healthcare program is to expand upon the HD&E series by examining the field that explores ethical issues by analyzing and investigating how health care decisions are made and how it affects society. Bioethics centers on issues such as patient rights and medical regulation. It is a multi-disciplinary study of, and response, to these moral and ethical questions that often involve overlapping concerns from a variety of populations and fields of study. This activity “identifies a community need and strategies for addressing it through mutual learning, critical analysis, reflection, and collaboration with a community partner.”
Service Program Requirements
- Must attend 3 out of the 4 presentations offered.
- Complete 20 hours of volunteering with organizations in a ‘behind the scenes’ capacity. Students will be provided with a list of pre-approved organizations at UGA and in the Athens community. Volunteering hours may be done through multiple organizations, but all must be from the approved list and requires documentation. A volunteer sheet will be provided to keep track of the hours and will need to include a signature of a staff member or leader from the organization. Volunteering must be done during Fall Semester, August 13, 2025, to December 5, 2025. If you would like to receive credit for Experiential Learning your volunteering must be completed by December 5, 2025. Please see the list of volunteer organizations and volunteer log sheet to have signed below.
- Participants are required to attend an Interactive Ethics and Professionalism session at the AU/UGA Medical Partnership, which will take place on a Saturday in November. The exact date will be shared with students who have attended at least 3 out of the 4 presentations.
- Submit a reflection paper containing a minimum of 1,000 words for question – “How should healthcare providers navigate the tension between patient autonomy, and profit motives with their responsibilities to patients, employees, customers and broader community?” Highlight some of your experiences from your volunteering, due December 5, 2025. If you would like credit for Experiential Learning, you will need to submit your essay by December 5, 2025.
- Participate in a Structured Reflective Dialogue (SRD) session held via Zoom. A Google form which will include a list of available dates / times for the month of December will be sent to participants who have completed all requirements. This last session is mandatory and will give participants a chance to discuss and reflect on the topics covered in the various informational sessions provided by the program.
- What is something you learned that surprised you or resonated with you?
- Discuss the role of educating yourself on various issues and the role of self-reflection when faced with your own adversity or peers.
- What do you think was the most meaningful part of the program?
- What is something you learned that surprised you or resonated with you?
- Discuss how you will continue to engage in issues related to ethics when you are in the field?
- Discuss how your volunteer experience will shape your future interactions with patients / clients?
After successful completion of this program, students will receive a certificate from the Pre-Professional Advising Office.
Please note that you need to double-check with your college that they have approved this activity for Experiential Learning Credit on engage.uga.edu. If you do not see this listed, speak with your academic advisor to confirm whether or not this program will count for EL.
Please note, this is not an official UGA certificate that will appear on your transcript.
Volunteer Log Approved Volunteering List
Students will explore the history and principles of bioethics and discuss the importance of ethical decision-making in healthcare. By combining theoretical knowledge with practical applications and reflective dialogue, students can gain comprehensive understanding of bioethics and its relevance to healthcare. Guest speakers will be invited to speak about their experiences with ethical dilemmas in their own practice and share insight on how to handle different situations regarding ethics.
Introducing the 2025 Bioethics and Healthcare Program Guest Lectures
The Pre-Professional Advising Office is proud to introduce our guest speaks for the 2025 Bioethics and Healthcare Program. All presentations will be held virtually via Zoom. Registration opens August 4th, 2025.
- Monday, August 25, 2025, 5:00-6:00 pm, Ethics and Psychiatry, Dr. Jonathan Crane, Professor of Medicine, Emory University.
- September 22, 2025, 5:00 – 6:00pm, Healthcare, Discrimination, and Law, Elizabeth Weeks, University of Georgia School of Law
- Monday, October 27, 2025, 5:00 – 6:00pm, Case Study on the Complex Care Team Model, Dr. Cary Perry, Senior Director Medical Services & Physician, University Health Center (UGA).
- Monday, November 3, 2025, 5:00-6:00 pm, End of Life Discussion, Dr. Brian Childs, Professor and Chair Department of Bioethics and Medical Humanities, Mercer University School of Medicine
- Wednesday, November 5, 2025, 5:00 – 6:00 pm, What to do when there isn’t enough – Fairly Allocating Scarce Healthcare Resources during a Shortage, Dr. Gerard Vong, Associate Professor and Director of the Master of Arts in Bioethics Program. Emory University
Mandatory orientation on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, at 5pm via Zoom. A Zoom link will be sent on the day of orientation.
