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Clinical Ethics Fellowship

Suspension of Clinical Ethics Service Fellowship 

Due to the current economic downturn and subsequent funding constraints, the Clinical Ethics Service Fellowship as of September 1, 2009 to August 31, 2010 is suspended. For further information regarding the fellowship, please contact Vicki M. Salley-Howell at 713-792-8775.

One-Year Fellowship - September 1 - August 31

Purpose of the Fellowship Program

The goals of the Clinical Ethics Fellowship Program at The University of Texas
M. D. Anderson Cancer Center are:

  • To provide intense clinical and research experience in ethics for individuals with advanced degrees in related fields in order to enable Fellows to practice bioethics in a health care setting or effectively teach bioethics in an academic setting
  • To increase the points of contact between the Clinical Ethics Service and patients, families, faculty and staff

The fellowship program is tailored to meet the strengths and needs of each fellow, and involves a one-year, full-time commitment, with an optional second year renewal.

Components of the Fellowship Program

To achieve the goals of the fellowship program, clinical ethics fellows are expected to develop a personal learning plan leading to the completion of the following objectives for each of the five components listed below.

Clinical

Objective: To expose the fellow to the demands of clinical medicine and its ethical issues and dilemmas.

  • Participate in ethics case consultations, including data collection, follow-up to completion and reporting to the Clinical Ethics Committee
  • Round regularly in the Intensive Care Units and with other inpatients and outpatient clinic centers
  • Participate in training sessions for medical and surgical fellows
  • Round with the diverse members of the Clinical Ethics Committee, i.e., physicians, nurses and ancillary others, including administration, pharmacy, social work, patient advocacy, pastoral care, genetic counseling and finance
  • Attend meetings of the Clinical Ethics Committee and its task forces and subcommittees
  • Complete a written quarterly report, four to six pages in length, that includes a summary of activities, identification of significant issues and dilemmas and insights and reflections related to personal and professional identity

Research

Objective: To increase the fellow’s knowledge of human research and regulations and ability to conduct research on clinical ethics topics.

  • Complete at least one research project, either of the fellow’s own design or as a component of the on-going research of the Clinical Ethics Service. From this project, a manuscript of publishable quality is to be produced by the fellow
  • Attend meetings of the IRB/Surveillance Committee, the Clinical Research Committee and the Psychosocial, Behavioral and Health Services Research Committee, and perform background research when the Clinical Ethics Service is asked to do in-depth reviews of research protocols
  • Attend the educational presentation/course titled, “Principles and Federal Regulations in Clinical Research,” required for all clinical investigators at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
  • Interact with the Office of Protocol Research, becoming familiar with its processes and procedures and the ethical issues it faces
  • Read and then discuss with one of the clinical ethicists the publication, “Words Into Print, A Guide to Scientific Writing and Publishing,” Department of Scientific Publications, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.

Educational

Objective: To expand the fellow’s ability to develop and present educational materials, and to facilitate clinicians’ and laypersons’ learning about clinical ethics issues.

  • Attend and participate in in-services and case discussions offered by the Clinical Ethics Service to faculty, staff and trainees
  • Plan and present educational sessions for The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center staff and for the community at large
  • Plan and present during New Member Training sessions for the Clinical Ethics Committee.
  • Plan and present at one Institutional Grand Rounds

Organizational Ethics

Objective: To provide experiences manifesting the complexities of institutional health care delivery and patient care.

  • Participate in policy development facilitated by the Clinical Ethics Committee or Clinical Ethics Service
  • Attend a sample of Quality Improvement (QI) Committee meetings, e.g., ICU QI, Institutional QI, the Quality Council
  • Attend and participate in the meetings of the Adjuvant Ethicist Advisory Committee.

Academic

Objective: To expand the fellow’s knowledge and application of clinical ethics language, principles, theories, cases and methodologies, the history of bioethics consultation and committees and clinical ethics resources and literature.

  • Facilitate monthly “directed readings” seminars to be attended by the clinical ethicists, members of the Clinical Ethics Committee and other interested invitees
  • Attend educational forums offered by the institutions of the Texas Medical Center, and report proceedings to the clinical ethicists
  • Participate in bioethics conferences, workshops and lectures, both locally (e.g., events sponsored by institutions at the Texas Medical Center) and nationally (e.g., Annual Conference of American Society for Bioethics and Humanities)
  • Complete assigned readings, didactics and seminars on select topics

Evaluation of Fellows

As the fellowship year progresses, fellows are expected to build their skills (e.g., related to teaching and consulting) to function more autonomously (yet always with supervision). To contribute to this skill-building process throughout the year, fellows will receive ongoing mentoring and feedback from the clinical ethicists and the members of the Clinical Ethics Committee. The fellow will also receive a formal mid-year and an end-of-the-year performance evaluation to assess progress and to identify areas for future growth and concentration.

Financial Compensation

Doctoral level: $40,000 plus benefits and $1,500 for travel
Masters level: $35,000 plus benefits and $1,500 for travel

Guidelines for Application

Applications for the Clinical Ethics Fellowship are accepted through M. D. Anderson Cancer Center’s DISCOVER System. Access to this system requires a password that is generated when the applicant creates an account on the DISCOVER System.

To request creation of an account, please contact Vicki M. Salley-Howell at 713-792-8775 or vsalleyh@mdanderson.org. A Curriculum Vitae or Resume is required.

The following materials must be submitted to the DISCOVER system or may be submitted via hard copy to:

Vicki M. Salley-Howell
Clinical Ethics Service / Unit 1430
The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
PO Box 304102
Houston, Texas 77230-1402
Phone: 713-792-8775
Fax: 713-745-0674
e-mail: vsalleyh@mdanderson.org

  1. Official transcripts (must be original)
  2. Three letters of recommendation from diverse individuals (e.g. employer, professor, academic advisor, someone able to attest to one's character) stating length of time and capacity in which the individual has known you and why both you and the Clinical Ethics Service at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center would benefit from your participation in the fellowship.
  3. Current curriculum vitae, including list of publications
  4. Letter of intent addressing the following topics:
    1. Why you are interested in the fellowship
    2. Personal traits that make you well-suited for the fellowship
    3. Experiences that have prepared you for the fellowship
    4. Potential research area(s)
  5. A one- to two-page description and discussion of a current ethical issue that you have confronted personally or you find particularly challenging
  6. On-site interview for top candidates. The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center will pay for travel, lodging and meals for the interview.

In keeping with the condition for employment, upon appointment by the Clinical Ethics Service, the fellow will be required to submit a chest x-ray report, physician's certification of general health (pdf), immunization record and current TB test record in order to be appointed by the senior vice president and chief academic officer.
Applications are due by February 1.

Find out about the Clinical Ethics Internship


© 2009 The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center