Abstract

KIE: The "Great Books Course in Medical Ethics" offered by the Department of Medicine of Evanston Hospital in Evanston, Illinois, is described. The course, a series of monthly seminars for attending staff and medical house staff, is intended as a forum in which great works of literature serve as the springboard for exploring issues of clinical medical ethics. It is taught by an experienced Great Books discussion leader, assisted by an ethicist, a philosopher, and a clinical nephrologist. Participants in the seminars have found them beneficial in enhancing their analytical skills for addressing ethical problems. The course is extracurricular; evaluation is nonstructured and based on participant feedback, which is discussed in the article.