Who Should Participate?

• Individuals working in the health care setting
• Members of ethics committees
• Anyone wishing to gain further insight into the field of health ethics

Course Delivery Mechanisms

• Video presentations
• Interactive teleconferences
• Reading materials
• Ongoing online discussion

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of the course, participants should:

• Be familiar with the general scope and substance of the field of health ethics
• Be familiar with various theoretical approaches in bioethics
• Have gained insight into the methodology of ethical deliberation
• Be able to systematically analyze practical issues in the clinical setting, explicitly from an ethics perspective
• Be familiar with some of the current areas of tension in bioethics

Format

The course has been broken down into a series of 12 modules delivered on a weekly basis. Seven additional weeks are included in the course timeline to allow for time for a break or to catch up.

For each module (excluding module 12, which will be addressed during the final in-person workshop) there will be two teleconferences attended by the module presenter or another facilitator; the participants choose to attend one. There will also be an ongoing listserv discussion available where participants can share ideas and post questions to each other.

For each module each participant will be asked to:

• Read the background materials provided
• Watch a 1 hour DVD presentation on the topic
• Attend a teleconference (for at least 8 modules)

The course will culminate with an optional in-person session focusing on clinical ethics consultation.

Timeline

• December 3, 2010 - Application deadline
  
• January 17, 2011 - Course begins (exact date still to be determined)
  
• May 13, 2011 - Course concludes with a final in-person workshop in Alberta  - attendance is encouraged, but optional. (Exact date still to be determined).

Course Fees

The fee for the course is $950 CND per Canadian participant and $950 USD for US participants. This fee includes the teleconference costs and course materials, including the 12 DVDs and course manual with all readings. In addition to this course fee, participants will be responsible for travel and accommodation expenses incurred while attending the final in-person session. It is anticipated that many participants will receive financial assistance from their professional bodies or institutions of employment. PHEN will provide whatever assistance it can in securing support.

Evaluation

Participants will be required to complete two written assignments over the duration of the course. All assignments will be graded by a teaching assistant. Expectations and guidelines for all assignments will be described in the course manual. Participation marks are self- evaluated and are based on the level of engagement with course materials and participation with the various course delivery mechanisms.

Final grades will be determined as follows:

Assignment 1: 35%

Assignment 2: 40%

Participation: 25%

Participants in the course will be provided with the following:

• DVD recordings of the speaker presentations for each module
• A course manual which includes the leaning objectives, required readings, and other materials for each module. The manual will also provide practical instruction in how to access and participate in each component of the distance education delivery format.

In order to take part in the course, participants will need:

• Access to a computer with internet capability
• Access to a DVD player
• Access to a telephone for participation in teleconferences

Participant Selection Process

In order to maintain an appropriate participant-faculty member ratio, course enrollment is limited. Up to 20 participant spaces will be reserved for Alberta Health Services ethics committee members. Costs for these participants will be covered through a separate arrangement between PHEN and AHS. If the situation should arise where demand for the course exceeds its capacity, the following selection criteria will be utilized for all applicants, in descending order.

1. Geographic Location

The first level of selection will be based on the applicant's region of residence or employment. PHEN will first attempt to ensure broad participation from across Alberta and then attempt to maximize the geographic diversity of participants from across and outside of Canada.

2. Impact

The second level of selection will be based upon the applicant’s demonstrated interest in health ethics and level of impact that his or her involvement in the course would have on their community.

3. Access to Resources

Part of the mandate of this course is to provide bioethics education to those interested and involved in the field who would otherwise be unable to access such an opportunity. Thus, the third level of selection considers whether the applicant has previous formal health ethics education and/or access to other current educational opportunities in health ethics (i.e. post-secondary courses).

To Apply

For information on how to apply, please click here