NSF Ethics Series

Using Creative Non-Fiction In Teaching Research Ethics

When: Monday, December 2, 2013
Where: PGH 232
Time: 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM

Speaker: Prof. Craig M. Klugman

Host: Dr. Ioannis Pavlidis

This presentation will use visual creative nonfiction to demonstrate a new approach being taken at one academic ethics program. The session consists of viewing a video, reading through material, and holding a discussion. In this specific instance, the presenters will show “Cure for Dying,” a 15 minute video written, directed, and produced within the academic ethics center. The case in this video was used for teaching of first year medical students on the topic of research ethics and professionalism. The short film opens with Seth Goldman—a patient dying of stage 4 cancer—laying in bed, talking to his hospice nurse about his spiritual concerns, his worries over leaving his family behind, and his need to find closure. He and his brother Jacob have not spoken in 20 years, assuming that there would always be more time to reconcile. After Jacob arrives, he quickly pulls Seth out of the peaceful world of hospice into a risky phase 2 research trial that holds little hope of benefit. Seth is torn between living what he considers a good death, and leaving a family that believes he did everything possible to “have hope” and spend more time with them.

After viewing the video, participants are handed a copy of the consent form that Seth is given for the trial and a copy of the final research paper that has been submitted to a journal for peer review. The presenter will lead the participants in a discussion of The ethical issues in the case.

The appropriateness of the consent form: (completeness, veracity, coercion, risk and benefits, grade level of language used). An evaluation of the manuscript: (strength of abstract, appropriateness of references, clarity of language, accuracy of cited references, rigorousness of research method, accuracy of description of consent process, review security measures, appropriate endpoints in study, how included data points were selected, do the conclusions follow the data, is data accurate).

Bio:
Craig Klugman is Professor and Chair of the Department of Health Sciences at DePaul University in Chicago. Dr. Klugman received his PhD in Medical Humanities from the University of Texas Medical Branch, his masters in bioethics and medical anthropology from Case Western Reserve University, and his bachelors in human biology from Stanford University. Dr. Klugman has taught ethic, professionalism and public health in medical, nursing, public health, allied health, and liberal arts schools as well as for continuing professional education. His areas of research include end of life, ethics education, public health ethics, and research ethics. He is the author of over 80 publications including his edited volume, Ethical Issues in Rural Health Care, created the advance care planning website TexasLivingWill.org, is the producer of the award-winning film, “Advance Directives,” and is the blog editor for the American Journal of Bioethics.