UNC Resident Initiatives

UNC Resident Ethics Interest Group

Several interested UNC Hospital Residents, with support from the UNC Hospitals Ethics Committee and Center for Bioethics, have developed an Interest Group devoted to the practical ethical issues that residents and fellows encounter during their training. Dr. Rimma Osipov, along with Center faculty members Jean Cadigan and Arlene Davis, are advisors to the group. Resident leadership includes Dr Joanne Alfred, Dr. Rohit Jaswaney, and Dr. Nicholas Ma. UNC residents and fellows interested in learning more about the Interest Group, and those who wish to be added to Dr. Alfred’s email updates on events of interest, should contact Dr. Joanne Alfred at joanne.alfred@unchealth.unc.edu

Residents and fellows interested in more immersive engagement with practical ethics issues may wish to consider the Resident Ethics Elective which is adaptable to any of our residency programs. Elective length can vary between 2 to 6 weeks. Dr. Rimma Osipov is the faculty advisor for the elective. For more information on the elective, please contact rimma@med.unc.edu.  Please reach out at least 4 weeks prior to planned elective time.

The Hospital Ethics Committee also has appointed members who are residents and fellows. Some of these residents also become resident members of the Lead Consultant Group within the Clinical Ethics Service. For more information on the appointment process and HEC membership, please contact Anissa Berger at anissa_berger@med.unc.edu.

Distinction in Clinical Ethics

The UNC School of Medicine Clinical Ethics Program and the Center for Bioethics, in collaboration with the Hospital Ethics Committee and Clinical Ethics Service in UNC Hospitals, offer an array of experiences related to a resident’s interest in clinical ethics and in the ethical issues that may arise in the development and implementation of related scientific research.  These experiences include didactic activities in various medical fields and the opportunity to embed with the Clinical Ethics Service in order to address the ethical issues that arise in patient consultation and policy development, and to develop ethics educational opportunities. This two-year program is a Pathway intended to further professional development through four key elements: mentorship, didactic curriculum, clinical experiences, and scholarship. Residents receive a Distinction in Clinical Ethics at the completion of residency training.

Faculty: Arlene Davis, JD; Rimma Osipov, MD, PhD; Jean Cadigan, PhD

Coordinators: Brandy Elsenrath and Anissa Berger, MA

Events