Currently: Will graduate Einstein with an MD and MS in Bioethics in 2022.
Graduated with a BS from Washington University St Louis.
Why were you interested in getting a graduate degree in Bioethics?
I had been interested in philosophy and ethics since high school and studied philosophy in college. In medical school, I wanted a way to reintegrate that part of my education into my career. The graduate degree in Bioethics offered exactly that opportunity. It was a straightforward application process, and the courses offered aligned with my own interests in normative decision making in medicine.
Why did you choose the Einstein Cardozo Master of Science in Bioethics?
The Einstein Cardozo program offers a variety of courses in a centrally located institution. I had the option to not only take classes that were directly about bioethics, but also law classes thanks to the partnership with Cardozo. Additionally, the faculty were a big draw. The professors came from a range of professional backgrounds and experts in their fields, both from business and academic fields.
What was your favorite aspect of the Bioethics program?
My favorite part of the program was the class structure. There was independent work outside of class hours, of course, and that meant that when we met as a class, it was largely discussion-based. There were not a lot of didactics. Instead, the classes flowed well because it was largely the students who would ask each other questions, engage with the material, and be gently guided along to the teaching principles.
What was your experience being a graduate student in the program?
I loved being a graduate student in the program. As a medical student, I approached the ethics issues from a medical perspective at first. However, there were also attorneys, internists, surgeons, social workers, writers, nurses, and other students. Each person approached topics from their own professional background, but also with their own personal experiences in mind. This diversity fostered the ability to see an issue from a different angle, and ultimately created more creative solutions.
How did you spend your time outside of the classroom?
In the year I completed the master, I also worked full-time as the Bioethics Consultation Fellow at the Montefiore-Einstein Center for Bioethics. I also continued my medical school research, which involved the ethics of rationing protocols for mechanical ventilators in times of scarcity.
In what ways do you hope the Einstein Cardozo MS in Bioethics will help you in your future work?
I plan to train as a general surgeon after medical school. My hope is that my time studying and working in bioethics will pay off for my patients and colleagues. In each of my clinical decisions, I want to identify the medically optimal route and to analyze the available options with an eye towards what we ought to do. I hope to also stay involved in clinical ethics decision making at my future institutions, both to provide whatever utility I can, and to continue learning about this exciting and evolving field.
Would you recommend the Einstein Cardozo Master of Science in Bioethics to others?
I would, without reservation, recommend this program to anyone with even a cursory interest in bioethics. If you find the Trolley Problem is interesting, this program is for you.