Ethical Responses to Course Curriculum: Evaluating Gaps in Healthcare Ethics Education and Emerging Topics
Overview
This reflection paper provides critical responses to two peer perspectives on a healthcare ethics course curriculum. The author agrees with calls to expand course content to include emerging healthcare technologies while respectfully challenging the view that the course adequately addresses contemporary ethical challenges.
What this reflection paper covers
- Agreement with Marlen's recommendations for incorporating telehealth, AI in clinical decision-making, and reproductive technologies into curriculum
- Support for condensing historical legal case reviews to create space for interactive debates and contemporary case analyses
- Respectful disagreement with Marlene's assessment that the current curriculum is comprehensive, arguing that rapid technological advances require new module coverage
Preview
Week 14 DF Ethical
Response to MARLEN
Marlen, I strongly agree with your emphasis on incorporating more emerging topics like telehealth, artificial intelligence in clinical decision-making, and reproductive technologies like genetic screening and IVF. These areas are reshaping healthcare delivery and raising new ethical questions about autonomy, equity, and accountability that the course failed to address. Your point about deepening cultural competence and implicit bias training is important, especially since structural inequalities influence patient outcomes and trust in healthcare systems.
I also support your suggestion to condense historical legal case reviews rather than eliminate them entirely. Shortening those sections would indeed create space for the interactive debates and real-time case analyses you recommend, which would strengthen our ability to apply ethical frameworks to contemporary challenges. Your proposed adjustments would make the course far more forward-looking and practically relevant for future healthcare professionals.
Response to MARLENE
Marlene, I appreciate your positive experience and your view that the course is well-organized, clear, and comprehensive as it stands. It is encouraging to hear that the short case studies and progressive structure helped you connect ethical and legal concepts without feeling overwhelmed. You make a fair point that we did cover core topics such as HIPAA, informed consent, patient rights, and professional responsibility in meaningful ways. However, I respectfully disagree that nothing is missing.
Rapid advances in artificial intelligence, telehealth regulation, and reproductive genetic technologies are already creating new ethical dilemmas that received little attention.