Ethicist to discuss conscientious objections and provisions of health care

GREENVILLE, Pa.-- Professor of Philosophy Emeritus at West Virginia University and Adjunct Professor of Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh Mark R. Wicclair, Ph.D. will speak at the Community Medical Ethics Project’s annual event at Thiel College at 11 a.m. Thursday, April 13 in the Lutheran Heritage Room of the Howard Miller Student Center.

This year’s conference will explore and discuss conscientious objections and provisions of health care in today’s evolving medical landscape. The event is free and open to the public.

In his presentation, Wicclair will define conscientious objection and distinguish between conscientious refusals and conscientious provisions. He will also address the key issue of whether health professionals who refuse to provide a medical service for reasons of conscience should be accommodated. Reasons for and against accommodation will be considered, and an ethical framework will be offered for deciding whether requests for accommodation should be granted.

Currently, Wicclair teaches in the Master of Arts in Bioethics Program, the Clinical Ethics Training Program, and the Center’s Consortium Ethics Program at the University of Pittsburgh. He is also co-chair of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Committee for Oversight of Research Involving the Dead (CORID) and has served on the UPMC Ethics Consultation Service for approximately twenty years. Wicclair’s research interests have been bioethics and applied ethics, and he has published two books and numerous articles for professional journals in these areas. He has received several fellowships over the course of his career, and during his tenure at West Virginia University, he won five awards for outstanding research, public service, and teaching. Wicclair received his doctoral degree in philosophy from Columbia University.

The presentation qualifies for continuing education credits for medical professionals.

The Community Medical Ethics Project is a collaboration between Thiel College, Buhl Regional Health Foundation, UPMC Horizon, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, and St. Paul’s Senior Living Community. Its mission is to help people in the community better understand medical ethics issues so that they can make better decisions involving their healthcare.

Related Links

• Thiel College Health Professions Institute
• Thiel College Department of Philosphy
• Buhl Regional Health Foundation
• UPMC Horizon
• Holy Trinity Lutheran Church
• St. Paul’s Senior Living Community

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