Philosophy Student Opportunities Fund

Biomedical Ethics Students Present at SC Medical Association’s Ethics Retreat

This spring, Virginia Donaghy ‘24 and Molly Dickerson ‘24, students in Professor Jennifer Baker’s Biomedical Ethics class, received grants from the Philosophy Student Opportunities Fund to present their research at the annual South Carolina Medical Association’s Ethics Retreat held in February.

Donaghy’s project, “Mercy vs. Murder,” focused on the ethics behind Dr. Anna Pou’s decisions at Memorial Hospital in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina that led her to euthanize patients in September 2005. After presenting, Donaghy and committee members exchanged a spectrum of views on whether Dr. Pou’s actions were ethical. Donaghy’s takeaway from the ethics retreat is, “It was an interesting experience that enlightened me to how different generations view different things in the past. For example, I view what happened at Memorial as the lesser of two evils, whereas several people at the committee meeting viewed it as something that should not have happened, even considering the circumstances that all of the employees of Memorial were under.”

Molly Dickerson ’24. Photo credit Reese Moore.

Dickerson’s project, “Guilty of Being Sick, Consult or Interrogation: a Bioethics Argument for Trauma-Informed Care and Commitment to Being a Lifelong Medical Learner,” argues that “…chronic illness should be recognized as a form of trauma, advocating for the implementation of trauma-informed care and the need for [health care providers] to commit to being a lifelong medical learner.” Reflecting on her experience, Dickerson says, “Professionals in the field seemed interested in considering chronic illness as a trauma and also provided insightful suggestions. They encouraged me to continue with my research interests.” She said, “Meeting individuals passionate about bioethics and healthcare from South Carolina or just living here now, was inspiring to me and my sense that some of these public health issues can be addressed.”

Dickerson’s dedication to this topic continues in The Sick Gaze, a newly launched podcast she co-produces and hosts. Part of the podcast’s mission states, “In a world where stories are often filtered through able-bodied perspectives, our podcast strives to bring visibility to invisible conditions.”

Thanks to the Philosophy Student Opportunities Fund, the department can support students who are doing great work. Please reach out if you’re a philosophy student interested in applying or would like to learn more about how you, too, can help support students needing financial support for research, projects, or experiential learning opportunities.