Cross-cultural Medical Ethics

Cross-cultural Medical Ethics
Rel St 175 / Phil 131C
Fall 2024

CLASS TIME: Tues/Thursday 5:00-6:20pm
Anteater Learning Pavilion 2100 (map here)

Professor: Brianne Donaldson / [email protected]

DESCRIPTION
Multiple studies show correlations between positive health outcomes and patients’ cultural values.* In this course, we will strengthen cross-cultural fluency in medical ethics by considering varying views on cultural competence, relativism, universality, and contextual medicine. This will include creating a “toolbox” filled with Western normative ethical theories including deontology, utilitarianism, feminist ethics, and justice-based accounts, alongside multiple bioethical concepts and cross-cultural resources related to race, gender, health disparities and religious identities. Through multiple case studies we will use our collected tools to evaluate issues such as on autonomy, truth-telling, definitions of death, reproductive ethics, end-of-life decisions, gene editing, animal research, and grieving, among other topics.

*Craigie et al. 1998 ; Jim et al., 2015; King and Bushwick 1994 ; Kurtz et al., 1995 ; Larson and Larson 1991; Levin and Vanderpool 1987; McCormick et al., 2012; Mickley et al., 1992; Prado et al., 2004; Puchalski 2001; Salsman et al. 2015; Sherman et al., 2015

OPENING RECITATION
“Do I contradict myself? / Very well then I contradict myself, / (I am large, I contain multitudes.)”
–Walt Whitman, "Song of Myself"

STUDENT LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1. Articulate 3-4 normative ethical theories in the west as well as limitations of such theories
2. Explain key concepts in bioethics
3. Analyze various cross-cultural/religious responses to critical ethical issues
4. Gain experience in completing a clinical Ethics Work-Up on case studies with reference to normative ethical theories, cross-cultural competence, and contextual response

STUDENT VISITING HOURS: COME SEE ME! (Fall 2024)

Where to find my office: Humanities Instructional Bldg, Lowest level, Room #56 (Philosophy Dept; map here). Visiting hours start Tuesday, October 1, 2024.

Tuesday (in person) 3:45–4:45pm
Contact me for other times by phone or Zoom (https://uci.zoom.us/j/98945597900); *Note that I often don't check email after 6pm.
When writing me, please include a greeting such as "Hi _____" or "Dear _____" so I feel like a means to your success as well as my own end; I will endeavor to do the same for you.

REQUIRED TEXTS

Click image below for Amazon link. STUDENTS MUST HAVE A COPY (HARD OR DIGITAL) OF THE READINGS IN CLASS so we can reference them.

Look for the much cheaper 6th edition (pictured here) rather than the 7th, but we can work with both.

Biomedical Ethics, 6th Edition, ed. Thomas A. Mappes and David DeGrazia (2005; paperback)

Publisher: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages; 6 edition edition (2005)
ISBN-10: 0072976446

*I've chosen the 6th edition (rather than 7th) because of the much lower cost ($4–$15 used on Amazon). If you accidentally get the 7th ed., we can work with that.

FREE OPTION: If you have trouble getting this text due to shortage of available copies, the authors have now given me permission to share the relevant pages, which you can find for free here.

*OTHER INDIVIDUAL READINGS WILL ALSO BE LINKED IN THE SCHEDULE BELOW.

POLICIES

ATTENDANCE POLICY
Attendance will begin the second fulll week of class, after the drop/add deadline (Oct. 11, 2024). After this date, all students can miss two classes without penalty. On the third absence, students will receive a one-time 3-point deduction, and an additional 3-point deduction for every absence thereafter. If you have an extended illness, extended family emergency, or extended immigration-related issue, please contact me as soon as you are able to and we will discuss a plan going forward. *Also, if something has kept you from reading or feeling prepared for class, please still come. You can always “pass” in discussion. So long as this is not a regular occurrence, your engaged presence will still benefit you, your peers, and our collective work.

ADD/DROP DEADLINES
Students may DROP or ADD a course through 5:00 p.m. on Friday of the second full week of classes October 11, 2024; click here.

DISABILITY ACCOMMODATIONS
All of us have different abilities, strengths, and challenges with learning. Students who believe they may need accommodations to succeed in this class are encouraged to register online with the Disability Services Center (or call 949-824-7494) as soon as possible to ensure that such accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion. This can include priority test-taking, seating preference, transportation, document conversion, among many other possible accommodations. Also, please feel free to meet with me to discuss any ways I can make any aspect of the classroom, materials, or assignments more accessible.

UCI MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING AND RELATIONSHIP VIOLENCE PHONE LINES (24-HRS/DAY)
UCI has several free resources and services to support well-being and safety. Click here / (949) 824-7273 / [email protected].

FOOD AND HOUSING INSECURITY
Any student who has difficulty affording groceries or accessing sufficient food to eat every day, or who lacks a safe and stable place to live, and believes this may affect their performance in the course, is urged to contact the UCI BASIC NEEDS CENTER at [email protected] / 949-824-0607. Also, please notify me if you'd like to so we can seek out other relevant resources.

FIRST GENERATION SUPPORT!
Check out the School of Humanities' first-generation services here, including incoming seminar, peer mentor program, and more.

TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM
Disciplined use of devices for note taking or looking up information relevant to an immediate discussion in class is welcome. Checking out cat memes, doom scrolling, texting, and personal email, while tempting, is not. Various studies link social media to negative thought patterns and varied symptoms of addiction; Other studies report that even short breaks from social media improve well-being. Moreover, it is evident to everyone when a colleague is checked out of class and into their device, and it lessens what the class can be as a whole. I prefer to leave this disciplined restraint to you, but will address it myself if needed. I will do my best to facilitate an active learning environment whenever possible.

LATE WORK POLICY
The late policy will begin after the drop/add deadline of October 11, 2024. There is a one-hour grace period on all assignments, except online quizzes, which must be completed by class time. After the drop/add deadline, late assignments (after the one-hour grace period) of up to 40 points will receive a one-time 2-point deduction; late assignments over 40 points will receive a one-time 4-point deduction. All work is due by the last day of the final exam.

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY AND PLAGIARISM
We are here to do the hard work of learning together. Academic dishonesty erodes this goal and your own self confidence, and is a serious academic offense that can result in failing a paper, failing the class, and academic dismissal from the university. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, plagiarism (copying words, phrases, or ideas from other authors/sources without giving citation credit), copying answers from another student, allowing another student to copy your answers, communicating exam answers to other students during an exam, attempting to use notes or other aids during an exam, or using AI Chat. These actions are a violation of the UCI Policies on Academic Honesty <see https://aisc.uci.edu/>. It is your responsibility to read and understand these policies. Note that any instance of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Academic Integrity Administrative Office for disciplinary action and is cause for a failing grade in the course.

LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION
I do write letters of recommendations for students if I feel I can offer a knowledgeable and positive account of an applicant. Because programs requesting such letters are seeking input from someone who has known applicants for a significant duration and depth, I only consider writing for students who I have had in at least two classes (or one class and another substantive manner such as thesis) and who I can genuinely speak to their work quality, attendance, collegiality, clarity, curiosity, and likely success in future programs. Letters require a back and forth with me so please allow ample time for consideration and completion.

ASSIGNMENTS AND GRADING

There are 410 points total in the course.

1. Participation: Pre-class quizzes and questions (17 total; 13 will count; 10 points each; 130 points total) [32%]
Before each class for which we have reading of any kind (17 classes total), you will take and submit a quiz (open book; 20 minute limit) prior to coming to class through Canvas. In early weeks, this will include terms for key theories, theoretical terms, philosophers, and bioethical concepts. In later weeks it will include reading comprehension questions about diverse positions on a particular issue. These quizzes and reading questions will also function as the primary study guide for your final exam. I will count the 13 highest scores; you can take all 17 quizzes if you like, or skip up to four. NOTE: the quizzes will open on Canvas 24 hours prior to class until the start of class, that is, 4pm on Mondays and Wednesday.

2. Participation: Attendance: 2 free missed classes; point reduction after that. See "policies" section above for details.

3. Ethics Work-Up #1, #2, and #3 (60 points each; 180 total) [44%]
Following the Ethics Work-Up Framework (to be discussed), students will complete two Ethics Work-Ups. See ETHICS WORK-UP RUBRIC under "Resources," section above.

4. Final Exam (100 points) [24%]
This exam will include multiple choice, True/False, and matching terms, a few short answer questions, 1-2 long answer questions, and one reflective question. This content will come primarily from quizzes, in-class lectures, and class conversations. A study guide will be provided in Week 10.

5. Extra Credit (10–15 points) UCI South Asian Organ Donation Online Forum (Date TBD; will be on Zoom)
Points awarded as follows:
10pts: RSVP and attend the forum virtually through Zoom (if you cannot attend, please register and let me know, as I can send the video afterwards)
12pts: On the Canvas Discussion forum, please answer one of the provided questions. Your response should clearly demonstrates your thoughtful engagement with specific points in the forum itself, and class content.
14pts: Respond thoughtfully to 1 comment or question on the Canvas Discussion forum
15pts: Respond thoughtfully to 2 comments or questions on the Canvas Discussion forum
*This event is hosted by the UCI Shri Parshvanath Presidential Chair in Jain Studies Lecture

UCI Canvas grading guide
A+ 100–96.5
A   96.5–93.5
A- 93.5–90
B+ 90–86.5
B. 86.5–83.5
B- 83.5–80
C+ 80–76.5
C   76.5–73.5
C- 73.5–70
D+ 70–66.5
D   66.5–63.5
D- 63.5–60
F 60–0

ASSIGNMENT RUBRICS

Documents will be added as we get to each assignment

GENERAL GUIDE FOR ETHICS WORK-UP ASSIGNMENTS (Have this open for every Work-Up)

Complete Ethics Work Up Guide (Sept. 2024).docx
File Size:	23 kb
File Type:	docx