The certificate program is a focused sequence of courses that prepares people for daily work in health care ethics. It is taught online in three 3-hour courses by doctorally prepared faculty who are also practicing clinical ethicists.

HHV501, Introduction to Health Care Ethics

The first course in the certificate program focuses intensely on basic moral theory and case analysis. For some students this is a stand-alone course. It is a prerequisite for the other two certificate courses.

HHV502, Major Issues in Health Care Ethics

This course focuses on developing case analysis skills and explores prominent ethical issues such as the "good death," brain death, organ donation, assisted reproduction and human subject research. Students begin work on a major project of their choosing. Many choose projects that will impact or contribute to their current professional roles. Examples include developing ethic curricula, forming an ethics committee and proposing a change in national organ procurement procedures.

HHV503, Seminar in Health Care Ethics

This course continues with case analysis, focusing on how to document a formal ethics consultation in a patient’s chart. Students continue to pursue their projects and present them to colleagues in a seminar format.

At the end of the program, we expect participants to have the following competencies:

• To be able to conduct an entry-level ethical analysis of a case
  To offer pertinent entry-level education in ethics to their institution
• To be able to identify and utilize resources outside their institutions when presented with complex cases beyond their level of expertise