This 3-credit intensive Bioethics study abroad course will be held in Granada, Spain. Taught by faculty from CWRU and Spanish faculty, this course offers students a cross-cultural perspective on Bioethics in the United States and Spain.
This course uses the medium of film, complemented by readings in Bioethics, film criticism, and medical research, to introduce students to a number of compelling bioethics problems facing physician-scientists today, including: when life begins; the nature and limits of informed consent; use of randomization without equipoise; medical imperialism (or the appearance thereof); the treatment of so-called “orphan” diseases; use of deception in research; financial conflicts of interest caused by, among other things, the involvement of the pharmaceutical industry in the drug invention process.
Prior to the trip, students will attend lectures at CWRU, which will acquaint them with Bioethics and with the use of film as a medium for stimulating discussion. In Spain, students will attend lectures that will be supplemented by site visits and discussion sessions. Following the intensive course in Spain, students will meet with instructors at CWRU for two hours to discuss their experiences and compare policies and practices in the U.S. and Spain.
The course will be held in Granada, Spain. Introductory lectures will orient the American students to the unique culture and history of pain.
This course is open to undergraduate and graduate students, and is relevant for students of Ethics, Film Studies, Spanish, Medicine, History, and Psychology (among other fields).