The Program in Medical Ethics and Human Values at Tulane University School of Medicine leads the integration of medical ethics, humanities, and humanism into clinical education, research, and professional development. Our mission is to advance ethical, humane, and patient-centered care through interdisciplinary teaching, scholarship, and collaboration.
The program supports learners across the medical education continuum — from preclinical training to graduate education and residency — with a particular emphasis on excellence in clinical care. Through innovative curriculum design and original research in medical ethics and humanities pedagogy, we aim to become a national leader in ethics and humanism education.
Our work is deeply collaborative. We partner across the School of Medicine and throughout Tulane University, as well as with institutions across New Orleans, engaging disciplines such as ethics, history, sociology of medicine, anthropology, law, fine arts, and social psychology. We also mentor faculty in ethics and humanities education, strengthening teaching and fostering interdisciplinary research integration.
Core Focus Areas
Advancing ethical and humane clinical care through education grounded in human values
Conducting original research in medical ethics and humanities pedagogy
Building an integrated educational framework that connects ethics and humanities with multidisciplinary and inter-institutional collaboration
Core Values
Respect for the diverse values and perspectives of patients, learners, faculty, and staff
Integration of bioethical and humanistic principles across all educational efforts
Commitment to collaborative professionalism through ethics and humanities education
Looking ahead, the program envisions expanding visiting and professorship initiatives to cultivate emerging and mid-career scholars in medical ethics and humanities. These efforts will support Tulane’s educational mission through research, scholarship, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the development of innovative academic programming.
