Committee on Medical Ethics

• About the Committee
• Resources
• Get involved

About the Committee

Vision
The MSS Committee on Medical Ethics is designed to orient medical students to the ethical dilemmas we face as students and physicians. We are dedicated to promoting education on ethics, humanities, philosophy, and the history of medicine as well as promoting activities to keep students involved and interested in the art of medicine.

2007-2008 Committee Goals

• Encourage communication among members.
• Creation of committee forums at national events.
• Interim and Annual meeting programming.
• Provide a forum for ethical decision making discussion among medical students by creating an "e-journal" for students.
• Act as liaisons for ethical decision making predicaments that medical students encounter by providing students with a consult service for advice, resources, and opinion on specific cases they face.
• Promote ethics, philosophy, humanities, and history to medical students by providing opportunities for discussion and furthering education.
• Enhance student understanding of different cultures and how this affects patient decisions.

Meet the 2007-2008 MSS Committee on Medical Ethics

Contact the Committee

• Chair - Brittney Culp
• Vice Chair - Jason Rafferty

Resources

Ethics Consult Service
If you have an ethical dilemma which you are having trouble facing alone, please contact the Committee . We are dedicated to finding objective, evidence-based research into your case and will provide this information to you free of charge.

Committee Reports
The MSS Committee on Medical Ethics has completed reports on a wide range of ethical issues. Please contact the MSS  to request copies of these reports.

• Support for Increased Regulation in Tissue Procurement (GC Report F-A-07)
• Periodic Review and Updating of Advance Directives (GC Report A-I-06)
• Concierge Medicine (GC Report E-A-05)
• A Children’s Bill of Medical Rights (GC Report C-I-04)

Useful links

• AMA Medical Ethics
• AMA Ethics Standards Group
• AMA Virtual Mentor
• AMA Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs (CEJA)
• AMA Institute for Ethics
• AMA Ethics Resource Center
• AMA Ethics Fellowship and Internship Opportunities

Get Involved

2007 MSS Interim Meeting Programming
Join us to hear from multiple ethics experts to discuss headlining ethics cases and the decision making process. Be a part of the a question and answer session and learn how to handle tough issues in the future.

We would like to thank Kavita Shah, AMA CEJA Student Representative; Lee Black, AMA Ethics Group Policy Analyst; and Dr. S.Y. Tan, Director of the Hawaii Center for Healthcare Ethics for their participation in the I-07 panel that discussed Physician Assisted Suicide, Genetics and Preemptive Treatment, and Drug Trials and Physician Accountability.

2008 MSS Annual Meeting Programming
A “Degree” Fair. Representatives from multiple programs will be presenting to you information on obtaining a degree in Bioethics, Medical Humanities, History, Public Health, Public Policy, etc. If you’re interested in a second degree or furthering your knowledge in these areas, please join us.

Get involved with your school’s Ethics Committee
Contact members of your affiliated hospital’s ethics committee for opportunities to sit in on the ethical decision making process as it happens day to day in the hospital.

Forthcoming opportunities

• Virtual Mentor
  We are working with Virtual Mentor to provide student input on each of the themes of the AMA's online bioethics publication. Students will be able to submit "case reports," which the MSS Ethics Committee will review, research, and submit. Please check back for updated submission guidelines and start thinking about cases that fall into Virtual Mentor's upcoming themes for 2008.
  • January: Ethical Issues in Diagnosing and Treating Addiction
  • February: Caring for the Incarcerated Patient
  • March: Medicine and Personhood
  • April: Medical Care for U.S. Immigrants
  • May: Institutional Constraints on Optimal Care
  • June: Quality of Life and Geriatric Patients
  • July: Gender-based Medicine
  • August: Informed Consent
  
  
• Health Care Provision Survey
  Get your school involved in one of the biggest decisions of the AMA MSS. Is healthcare a right? What do students at your school think? Help us collect our data by sending out the survey and being a part of the data collecting process.

Meet the Committee on Medical Ethics