Inequality, Vulnerability, and Health Justice: Learning from the Pandemic

Session four in the Empire State Bioethics Consortium Webinar Series Data from the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States reveal stark disparities in vulnerability to infection and illness by race, ethnicity, income, immigration status and neighborhood. Vulnerabilities produced by social inequalities are health inequities—a form of injustice. This webinar features perspectives from Texas, Colorado and New York on learning from COVID-19 to work toward justice in health, focusing on Black health, immigrant health and the role of health systems. Moderator: Nancy Berlinger, Ph.D. Research Scholar, The Hastings Center Additional Speakers: Keisha Ray, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, McGovern Center for Humanities and Ethics, University of Texas Louis Voigt, M.D. Intensivist and Ethics Committee Chair, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Lilia Cervantes, M.D. Associate Professor, Department of Hospital Medicine and Office of Research, Denver Health -- The Bioethics program at Columbia University’s School of Professional Studies covers issues concerning the ethical, legal, and social implications of advances in biotechnology and biomedicine that are increasingly arising both in the United States and abroad. From stem cell research to healthcare reform, these topics involve critical dilemmas at the intersections of law, society, culture, public policy, philosophy, religion, economics, and history. Scientists, healthcare providers, and policy-makers confront how to approach these complex questions, yet scientific and technological advances have far outpaced our ability to understand or make key decisions about these issues. The Master of Science in Bioethics, part of Columbia University’s Programs in Bioethics, which also include an Online Certification of Professional Achievement and Online Noncredit Courses, grounds students in historical, philosophical, legal, and social-scientific approaches and models to address bioethical challenges. The program prepares students to work in various capacities within this new and ever-growing field, and includes a concentration in global bioethics – the first of its kind in the United States. The program may be taken on a part-time or full-time basis, and students have the option of enrolling on Columbia’s campus in New York or online. Online students use a highly collaborative and interactive social learning platform to connect with their instructors and fellow students. All online courses have weekly live web classroom meetings with their professors to enable dynamic interaction around course content. Additionally, students participate in discussion groups, collaborative and independent coursework, interactive forums, and prerecorded videos. Our programs are designed for maximum flexibility, and students enrolled on campus or online have access to rigorous coursework, world-class instruction by Columbia faculty, career and professional development, and personal feedback on written assignments. http://sps.columbia.edu/bioethics Application Document Submission and Application Processing Questions: +1 (212) 854-9666 [email protected] -- SPS advances knowledge with purpose to move careers, communities, and markets forward. Our mission is to provide a rigorous education, informed by rapidly evolving global market needs, that supports the academic and professional aspirations of our student community. Our vision is to become the premier destination for professional education by generating interdisciplinary thought leadership, developing innovative pedagogy, and advancing globally competitive academic solutions for ambitious agents of change and impact. sps.columbia.edu