Bioethics Beyond the Classroom: A role for student led groups in organizing case-based discussions on ethics

Celeste Hsu – USCD School of Medicine; Ritvik Illindala – UCSD School of Medicine; Rithik Kumar – UCSD School of Medicine; Ariadne Nichol – UCSD School of Medicine; Jeffrey Chen – UCSD School of Medicine; Daniel Callies – Clinical ethics consultant, UCSD School of Medicine; Lynette Cederquist, MD – Professor of Medicine, UCSD School of Medicine; Yash Joshi, MD, PhD – Assistant Professor in Residence, UCSD School of Medicine; George Hightower, MD, PhD – Associate Professor, Dermatology, Rady Children’s Hospital and UC San Diego; Anthony Magit, MD, MPH – Associate professor, Rady Children’s Hospital and UCSD School of Medicine

Abstract: Growing societal polarization in the United States underscores the need for value-based dialogue as both a professional competency and foundational component of medical education. Physicians must be equipped to tactfully navigate ethically complex conversations and foster trust with patients who may hold differing beliefs or skepticism towards medical institutions. Beyond clinical training, medical schools bear the responsibility of fostering learning environments that equip students with the skills necessary to engage respectfully with patients and peers whose values and lived experiences differ from their own.

Between September 2024 and February 2025, students at a US-based medical school organized a series of six bioethics events. These student-initiated, faculty-guided discussions explored socially and ethically contested topics, including religious conflict in clinical practice and gender-affirming care.

Attendees were invited to complete surveys designed to improve future events. Responses indicated that participants found that these forums enhanced their ability to navigate ethical dilemmas with peers, faculty, and patients. Likert scale comparisons before and after the events demonstrated a statistically significant increase in confidence when approaching ethics scenarios. Students also expressed interest in engaging in discussions regarding legal considerations relevant to medical practice, structured frameworks for ethical decision-making, and case-based scenarios of real-world clinical challenges.

Rising interest in bioethics among medical students highlights the need for institutions to invest in platforms for students to engage in early-career, immersive ethics education. Elective, case-based, and student-led discussions build on pedagogical methodology and can be adopted by other medical schools to help students develop into well-rounded, humanistic doctors.

Keywords: Medical ethics education, Bioethics education and the health humanities for medical professional students, Education and interprofessionalism