Unit name | Decision Making at the Beginning and End of Life |
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Unit code | COBMM0003 |
Credit points | 30 |
Level of study | M/7 |
Teaching block(s) |
Academic Year (weeks 1 - 52) |
Unit director | Professor. Huxtable |
Open unit status | Not open |
Pre-requisites |
None |
Co-requisites |
None |
School/department | Bristol Medical School |
Faculty | Faculty of Health Sciences |
This Unit will develop students' understanding of, and critical reflection on, some of the key topics in health care ethics and law as they apply to issues at the beginning and end of human life. Key themes will be covered, including the value of life, self-determination and personhood. Topics to be addressed will include the ethical and legal issues in: (i) termination of pregnancy; (ii) pre-natal diagnosis; (iii) assisted reproduction, including surrogacy and new reproductive technologies, (iv) care of seriously ill newborns, (v) the definition of death, including brain death and organ donation and (vi) euthanasia and its regulation, including the distinction between acts and omissions. Students will have the opportunity to demonstrate application of the knowledge that they have gained through an essay drawing together theoretical and reflective scholarship.
Aims:
This Unit aims to provide students with a systematic understanding and critical awareness of some of the key issues and dilemmas arising at the beginning and end of life. The Unit will focus on the core ethical and legal concepts and issues arising across these fields, notably the concepts of personhood, self-determination and the value of life. Students will learn to distinguish between, critically appraise and apply some of the theories relating to topical issues in these fields and will gain greater insight into the legal and professional obligations in this context.
On successful completion of this Unit, students will be able to:
Student centred teaching & learning strategies will be promoted using the following methods:
Assessment of this unit will comprise the following: (a) A formatively assessed essay plan, which will include a brief literature review; and (b) A summatively assessed essay of 6,000 words (100%), which will assess students’ understanding of and ability to critique the core concepts and overarching issues relevant to the beginning or end of life, as well as the ability to generate reasoned arguments applied to appropriate examples or cases from their professional experience.