Bachelor of Medical Science

BMedSc(Hons) - Bioethics at Oxford

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BMedSc(Hons) opportunities in Practical Ethics at the University of Oxford and Monash University

When is it ethical to sedate a patient at the end of life? How should doctors disclose to patients that they are at risk of psychosis? How much should research participants be paid to be infected with a virus in a human challenge trial? These topics and many more have been explored by BMedSc(Hons) students undertaking the Oxford-Monash Ethics Program. Co-run by the Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics and the Monash Bioethics Centre, students spend 6 months at the University of Oxford covering general medical ethics principles and techniques as well as exploring one topic in depth for their BMedSc(Hons) project, under supervision by staff from both centres.

Since 2011 the Oxford Uehiro Centre has accepted between 2 and 5 medical students from Monash University's medical programme to undertake a BMedSc(Hons) in Bioethics at the Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics at the University of Oxford under the supervision of Professor Dominic Wilkinson and other research fellows based at the Oxford Uehiro Centre. The academic programme is tailored to Monash University’s requirements, and there is a separate application process through Monash University’s BMedSc office.

Please peruse the websites for both Centres for further information:

https://www.practicalethics.ox.ac.uk/home | https://www.monash.edu/medicine/som/bmedsc-hons/overseas-research-opportunities

Students choosing an Oxford based program will be co-supervised by a member of the Oxford Uehiro Centre and a member of the Centre for Human Bioethics. Students will be provided with access to bioethics educational resources and have the opportunity to attend relevant lectures, seminars and workshops. However the work will be primarily research and a high level of independence and maturity are required.

For further information please see the Monash University website.

Journal publications in collaboration with BMedSc students

Under Review

Eric Xie, Hazem Zohny, Thomas Douglas, Nadira Faber, Julian Savulescu, What Does It Take to Be Moral?

Accepted/forthcoming

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Publications

2024

Marks, I. R., Devolder, K., Bowman-Smart, H., Johnston, M., & Mills, C. (2024). NIPT for adult-onset conditions: Australian NIPT users' views. Bioethics, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1111/bioe.13310

2023

Allen J, Earp B, Koplin J, Wilkinson D. Consent-GPT: Is it ethical to delegate procedural consent to conversational AI? Journal of Medical Ethics 2023

Drezga-Kleiminger, M., Demaree-Cotton, J., Koplin, J. et al. Should AI allocate livers for transplant? Public attitudes and ethical considerationsBMC Med Ethics 24, 102 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12910-023-00983-0

Gilbertson L, Savulescu J, Oakley J, et al., Expanded terminal sedation in end-of-life care, Journal of Medical Ethics 2023;49:252-260.

Marks IR, Mills C, Devolder K., Unconditional access to non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) for adult-onset conditions: a defence, Journal of Medical Ethics Published Online First: 03 May 2023.  doi: 10.1136/jme-2023-109070

Zhang, O. Y., McConnell, D., Carter, A., & Pugh, J. (2023). A principle-based framework for disclosing a psychosis risk diagnosisBioethics, 37, 171– 182.  https://doi.org/10.1111/bioe.13106

2022

Wood, K., Di Stefano, L., Mactier, H., Bates, S. and Wilkinson, D., (2022), 'Individualised decision-making: interpretation of risk for extremely preterm infants, a survey of UK neonatal professionals', Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal, Vol: 1074(3): 281-288 [PMC9046748]

2021

Dao, B., Savulescu, J., Suen, J., Fraser, J. and Wilkinson, D., (2021), 'Ethical factors determining ECMO allocation during the COVID-19 pandemic', BMC Medical Ethics, Vol: 22(1): 70 [PMC8169422]

Di Stefano, L., Wood, K., Mactier, H., Bates, S. and Wilkinson, D., (2021), 'Viability and thresholds for treatment of extremely preterm infants: survey of UK neonatal professionals', Archives of Disease in Childhood, Vol: 106(6): 596-602 [PMC8543207]

Feng-Gu, E., Everett, J. A. C., Brown, R., Maslen, H., Oakley, J. and Savulescu, J., (2021), 'Prospective intention-based lifestyle contracts: mHealth technology and responsibility in healthcare', Health Care Analysis, Vol: 29(3): 189-212 [PMC8321967]

Munday, S. and Savulescu, J., (2021), 'Three Models for the Regulation of Polygenic Scores in Reproduction', Journal of Medical Ethics, Vol: 47(12): e91 [PMC8639919]

Takla, A, Savulescu, J., Kappes, A., & Wilkinson, D., British laypeople’s attitudes towards gradual sedation, sedation to unconsciousness and euthanasia at the end of life, PlosOne 2021 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0247193

Takla, A., Wilkinson, D., Pandit, J. and Savulescu, J., (2021), 'General anaesthesia in end-of-life care: extending the indications for anaesthesia beyond surgery', Anaesthesia, Vol: 76(10): 1308-1315 [PMC8581983https://doi.org/10.1111/anae.15459 * This article was ranked in the top 10 articles in Anaesthesia in 2021

Takla, A., Wilkinson, D. and Savulescu, J., (2021), 'A conscious choice: is it ethical to aim at unconsciousness at the end of life', Bioethics, Vol: 35(3): 284-291 [PMC8243249]

2020

Brick C, Kahane G, Wilkinson D, et al Worth living or worth dying? The views of the general public about allowing disabled children to die, Journal of Medical Ethics 2020;46:7-15.

Di Stefano, L., Mills, C., Watkins, A. and Wilkinson, D., (2020), 'Ectogestation ethics: the implications of artificially extending gestation for viability, newborn resuscitation and abortion', Bioethics, Vol: 34(4): 34: 371– 384 [PMC7216952]

Grimwade, O., Savulescu, J., Giubilini, A., Oakley, J., Osowicki, J., Pollard, A. and Nussberger, A., (2020). 'Payment in Challenge Studies: Ethics, Attitudes and a New Payment for Risk Model', Journal of Medical Ethics, Vol: 46(12): 815–826 [PMC7719900] and see poster here.

Wilkinson D, Di Stefano L. Artificial Gestation. In Emerging Topics and Controversies in Neonatalogy, ed Boyle E, Cusack J. Springer. 2020.

Wilkinson D, Uy EM, McTavish J, Hayden D, Decision making around resuscitation of extremely preterm infants in the Philippines: a consensus guideline. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health 2019;55:1023-1028. [open access]

Wilkinson D, Brick C, Kahane G, Savulescu J. The relational threshold: a life that is valued, or a life of value? Journal of Medical Ethics 2020;46:24-25.

Wilkinson D, Marlow N, Hayden D, Mactier H. (2020) Should extremely preterm infants receive chest compressions and/or adrenaline in the delivery room? Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed

Hayden D, Mendoza, Uy, Wilkinson D. (2020) Resuscitation of preterm infants in the Philippines: a national survey of resources and practice. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal

2019

Dao, B., Faber, N., Giubilini, A., Douglas, T., Selgelid, M. and Savulescu, J., (2019), 'Impartiality and infectious disease: prioritising individuals versus the collective in antibiotic prescription', AJOB Empirical Bioethics, Vol: 10(1): 63-69 [PMC6446247]

D'Hotman De Villiers, D., Pugh, J. and Douglas, T., (2019), 'The case against forced methadone detox in US prisons', Public Health Ethics, Vol: 12(1): 89–93 [PMC6415724]   

Di Stefano, L, Mills, C, Watkins, A, Wilkinson, D. 'Ectogestation ethics: The implications of artificially extending gestation for viability, newborn resuscitation and abortion'. Bioethics. 2019; 00: 1– 14.  https://doi.org/10.1111/bioe.12682

Doolabh, K., Caviola, L., Savulescu, J. et al. Is the non-identity problem relevant to public health and policy? An online surveyBMC Med Ethics 20, 46 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12910-019-0379-5

Wilkinson, D., Butcherine, E. and Savulescu, J., (2019), 'Withdrawal Aversion and the Equivalence Test', American Journal of Bioethics, Vol: 19(3): 21-28 [PMC6436546]

Wilkinson D, Uy EM, McTavish J, Hayden D, (2019) Decision making around resuscitation of extremely preterm infants in the Philippines: a consensus guideline. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health

Wilkinson, D., Hayden, D. and Schnall, J., (2019), 'Newborns in crisis: an outline of neonatal ethical dilemmas in humanitarian medicine', Developing World Bioethics, Vol: 19(4): 196-205

2018

D'Hotman, D., Pugh, J. and Douglas, T., (2018), 'When is coercive methadone therapy justified?', Bioethics, Vol: 32(7): 405-413 [PMC6174954]

Wagner, K., Maslen, H., Oakley, J. and Savulescu, J., (2018), 'Would you be willing to zap your child's brain? Public perspectives on parental responsibilities and the ethics of enhancing children with transcranial direct current stimulation', AJOB Empirical Bioethics, Vol: 9(1): 29-38  [PMC6068541]

Bambery, B., Douglas, T., Selgelid, M., Maslen, H., Giubilini, A., Pollard, A. and Savulescu, J., (2018), 'Influenza vaccination strategies should target children', Public Health Ethics, Vol: 11(12): 221-234 [PMC6093440]

Wilkinson D, Hayden D. In Search of Consistency: Scandinavian Approaches to Resuscitation of Extremely Preterm Infants. Pediatrics. 2018; 142 (Supplement 1):S603-S60. [Open  Access:  PMC6916396]

2017

Doolabh K, Caviola L, Savulescu J, Selgelid M, Wilkinson D. Zika, Contraception and The Non-Identity Problem. Developing World Bioeth. 2017; 17: 173–204. https://doi.org/10.1111/dewb.12176

Nair T, Savulescu J, Everett J, et al Settling for second best: when should doctors agree to parental demands for suboptimal medical treatment? Journal of Medical Ethics 2017;43:831-840. (Discussed and cited in Bester, J.C. (2021). The Limits of Parental Authority: Childhood Wellbeing as a Social Good (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003025108)

Hayden D, Wilkinson D. Asymmetrical reasons, newborns and resource allocation. American Journal of Bioethics 2017;17(8):13-15

2016

Arora, C., Savulescu, J., Maslen, H., Selgelid, M. and Wilkinson, D., (2016), 'The Intensive Care Lifeboat: a survey of lay attitudes to rationing dilemmas in neonatal intensive care', BMC Medical Ethics, Vol: 17(1): 69. PMC

D'Hotman, D., Pugh, J. and Douglas, T. (2016), 'Methadone for Prisoners'. The Lancet, Vol: 387(10015):224.

Bambery, B., Savulescu, J., Selgelid, M., Weijer, C., Pollard, A., (2016) Ethical Criteria for Human Challenge Studies in Infectious Diseases. Public Health Ethics 2016;9(1):92-103.(In the top 5 most cited articles in Public Health Ethics)

Gipson, J., Kahane, G., Savulescu, J.  Lay Attitudes to Enhancement, In Finding Consciousness: The Neuroscience, Ethics, and Law of Severe Brain Damage ed W. Sinnott-Armstrong. New York: Oxford University Press, 2016, pp. 137-159. 

2014

Gipson, J., Kahane, G., Savulescu, J. Attitudes of Lay People to Withdrawal of Treatment in Brain Damaged Patients. Neuroethics, 2014;7:1- 9.

2013

Bambery, B., Selgelid, M., Maslen, H., Pollard, A.J., Savulescu, J., (2013). The Case for Mandatory Flu Vaccination of Children. American Journal of Bioethics 13(9):38-40.

2012

Bourne, H., Douglas, T. and Savulescu, J., (2012), 'Procreative beneficence and in vitro gametogenesis', Monash Bioethics Review, Vol: 30(2): 29-4PMC

Douglas, T., Harding, C., Bourne, H. and Savulescu, J. (2012). 'Stem Cell Research and Same-Sex Reproduction'. in M. Quigley, S. Chan and J. Harris, (Eds.)   Stem Cells: New Frontiers in Science and Ethics (World Scientific) pp 207-228.