Sherwin B. Nuland Summer Institute in Bioethics

2024 Summer Update from the Program Director

Thank you for having an interest in our programs! Learn more about the program here: https://isps.yale.edu/news/blog/2023/07/yale-hosts-international-bioethics-summer-program

Yes! We are Accepting Applications!

We are sstill accepting applications for our 2024 programs offered May - July, 2024. Please send us your unofficial transcript & CV/resume to start your application file. Send documents along with any questions to bioethics@yale.edu.

** We have rolling admissions. We will review our next round of applications received by March 16th. We expect to review the final set of applications received by March 31st but may possibly continue to accept applications after that based on space. We are always happy to answer questions about our programs - please email us anytime. ** 

2024 Program Dates

The dates for the 2024 programs include options for part-time virtual; plus hybrid 4-week and 7-week programs - some will be in-person and others will be remote learning. Specifically:    

  • Our annual Foundations program will only be remote, and it will be offered on a part-time basis from May 14-24. See here for more information: Foundations of Bioethics.
     
  • Participants wishing to attend the in-person program must first attend the virtual Foundations then may participate in onsite programs; 
     
  • 2024 in-person attendance will be from June 10 - Friday July 19th.
     
  • There will be limited in-person slots for those who can only attend a 3-week in-person session. These sessions would be Jun 10 - 28 or July 1 - 19. These are usually limited to clinicians and clinical students who otherwise may never be able to attend due to scheduling constraints.
     
  • There will be days off on holidays: no programming will be offered on Juneteenth (June 19th), July 4 & 5th.

Please read the materials below, and if you have questions, please do not hesitate to reach out!  We are delighted you have interest in our programs.

Cheers,

Lori Bruce

************

The annual Summer Institute in Bioethics is a unique and cherished program. Our program is an intensive 7-week summer immersion for U.S. and international professionals and students from varying disciplines. The in-person program offers approximately 150-200 contact hours (depending on student preference)..

Recent participants say:

  • “The curriculum is simply unparalleled… this is a program like none other!”
  • “These were the best two months of my life!”
  • “This was simply the best investment to help me fine-tune my career choices.”
  • “The diversity of participants and faculty made this summer truly unforgettable.”
  • “This programme is truly incredible!” 

Learn more about us!

Read a recent news articles about the program then view images from recent years to learn a bit more about our program.

Curriculum

Our impressive faculty infuse the program with their enthusiasm, energy, and expertise, presenting lectures and seminars on a wide range of topics including gene editing, “a good death,” environmental ethics, social justice, bioethics for policymaking, OneHealth, and patient-centered clinical ethics. 

This program is distinct in terms of:

  • The breadth, depth, and quality of bioethics topics discussed in lectures and seminars;
  • The faculty-to-participant ratio (our faculty nearly outnumber our participants);
  • The enthusiasm of our faculty;
  • The amount of personal growth one may experience when interacting with people from over 25 countries, from all continents across the globe.

Learning Objectives

The program is attended by those who wish to:

  • Understand how they can use bioethics (or bioethical arguments) in their current careers;
  • Further define their interests in bioethics before or after acquiring a Masters in Bioethics;
  • Expand bioethics in their home country;
  • See if a career in bioethics is right for them;
  • Develop deeper knowledge in bioethics to supplement their current career or studies, often within law, medicine, public health, philosophy, and other disciplines.

Participant Profiles

Our summer program is attended by U.S. and international professionals and graduate students (along with a select number of undergraduates). Participants from recent years are from China, Japan, Australia, Spain, France, Mexico, Brazil, South Africa, the U.S., Canada, and many other countries. Participants hail from many different institutions, including Yale, Columbia, William and Mary, MIT, Johns Hopkins, Harvard, UCLA, Williams College, The University of Virginia, Rutgers, University of Texas at Austin, Tufts, Case Western, Mount Sinai School of Medicine/Clarkson, Universidad Europea de Madrid, state schools, and many more.

Recent professionals who have attended the program include a biology professor from James Madison, attending physicians from Turkey, Japan, France, and the Czech Republic, attorneys and professors from Brazil, and so on. Recent students study philosophy, divinity, law, medicine, clinical social work, and public health (both graduate and undergraduate) from the US, France, Singapore, and more. 

Would you like to learn more about the program, or speak to a recent alum to learn more about the program and how it may benefit you? Contact Lori Bruce, Program Director, at bioethics@Yale.edu and we would be delighted to connect with you.

Yale University Bioethics students

Submitting Your Application

Please visit this link to submit your application.

Scope and Schedule

The full in-person program offers approximately 150-200 contact hours (depending on student preference).

The Program Structure Page describes the main components of our in-person program.

Attendance Options

In non-Covid times, the majority of participants attend the full 7-week program. However, Summer Institute alumni have the option to return for one 3-week term, and clinicians or clinical students with limited schedules may be considered for Foundations and the first 3-week term.  

Want to learn about housing options for on-campus programming? Click here: Housing Options

Credits for Participation

While we do not offer Yale credit (to keep the price low), we do work with students’ sponsoring institutions so that students can receive credit from them. This is dependent upon the students’ university, but we do find that the vast majority of universities do provide this credit. Undergraduate and graduate students typically receive credits for one full course when they attend our full in-person 7-week program. Upon request, we provide a Program Summary at the end of the program that defines the exact number of contact hours earned, along with a list of all seminars attended and an overall evaluation.

Housing Options

During the in-person version of the program, some students choose to live in Yale dorms, and some choose to sublet from Yale graduate students who are away for the summer months. Some students choose to live with their Summer Institute classmates. Professionals who attend the program tend to find their housing via Sabbatical Homes.   Sublets are approximately $650-$2,000/month and Yale housing is approximately $53/night for a shared room and $80/night for a private room. Yale dorms do not have access to kitchens or other amenities; sublets are within houses or apartments and come furnished.  We cannot vouch for any subletting arrangements and encourage students to exercise judgement when sending funds or signing leases.

Application Process & Fees

View details on the application process, funding opportunities, program fees, and deadlines.

Bioethics lecture

Programs by Year

Previous programs and participants are listed below:

2021 Virtual Program2020 Virtual Program2019 Program2018 Program; 2017 Program; 2016 Program;
2015 Program; 2014 Program; 2013 Program; 2012 Program; 2011 Program; 2010 Program; 2009 Program

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