The Accidental Ethicist: Medical Ethics in Clinical Practice and Education for the Nonethicist (Ethics Committee-Sponsored)

Ethical dilemmas are inherent in medical practice, yet most clinicians are not formally trained as ethicists. This session will explore the role of the "accidental ethicist"—clinicians who are unexpectedly thrust into ethical decision-making. Through case studies, we will discuss common ethical challenges and practical strategies for navigating these dilemmas, including decision-making frameworks, consultation options, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Participants will also learn how to incorporate bioethics into medical education to foster an ethically informed clinical environment. Our panel, with expertise in medical education and clinical ethics, will offer insights from diverse practice settings.

Learning Objectives:

Upon completion of this session, participants should be able to:
  • Recognize common ethical dilemmas faced by non-ethicists in clinical practice, using real-world cases as benchmarks
  • Develop tools to integrate ethics into medical education and clinical training
  • Review practical strategies for identifying ethical issues and making informed decisions in day-to-day medical practice

Presentters:

  • Kevin McGurk, MD
  • James H. Paxton, MD, MBA
  • Sean Schnarr, MD
Authors

  • Kevin McGurk, MD

    Assistant Professor

    Medical College of Wisconsin Affiliated Hospitals

    Dr. McGurk is an assistant professor in the emergency medicine department at the Medical College of Wisconsin. Prior to pursuing medicine, he worked as an elementary school teacher in the D.C. public school system. He received his medical degree from the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and completed his residency at Cook County Health, where he also served as chief resident. Dr. McGurk's professional interests include medical education, retrospective research, and medical humanities. He is the M3 EM clerkship director and the 2023 recipient of the Joseph C. Carin Excellence in Teaching Award.
  • Paxton

    James Paxton, MD, MBA

    Associate Professor and Director of Clinical Research

    Wayne State University School of Medicine

    James H. Paxton, MD MBA FACEP FAHA, is the Director of Clinical Research for Detroit Receiving Hospital and Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at Wayne State University Department of Emergency Medicine. He has served SAEM through various roles within the By-Laws, Awards, Grants, and Research Committees, including Chairman of the SAEM Research Committee (2021-2024). He received both his MD and MBA degrees from the University of Cincinnati (Cincinnati, OH), and completed EM residency training at Henry Ford Hospital (Detroit, MI). Dr. Paxton has served as core academic faculty for the Detroit EM residencies at both Sinai-Grace Hospital and Detroit Receiving Hospital since 2011, and has mentored hundreds of medical students and residents at Wayne State University during that time. He is an active clinical researcher and has served as PI for numerous industry- and publicly funded trials. He is the editor of several books on emergency medicine topics, and is a recognized expert and invited speaker for many regional, national and international lectures on emergent vascular access, cardiac arrest, and emergent resuscitation.

  • Sean Schnarr, MD

    New York University

    Dr. Schnarr is on the faculty at NYU Langone's Ronald O. Perelman Department of Emergency Medicine where he serves as associate program director for the EM residency. He completed his residency training at the John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, and received his medical degree from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. His academic interests include bedside teaching and FOAMed applications, as well as health disparities and social emergency medicine.

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