Oregon Bioethics and Humanities Colloquium
What do we talk about when we talk about justice in healthcare?
Should adolescents get to make their own medical decisions?
Is it time to rethink the ethics of care and care labor in American society?
The Oregon Bioethics and Humanities Colloquium (OBHC) is an academic lecture series for the state of Oregon and the Pacific Northwest. The goal of the OBHC is to foster substantive inquiry, conversation and education in biomedical ethics and medical humanism by bringing together scholars and students from diverse disciplines including medicine, philosophy, literature, sociology, religion, communication science, health policy and more. The OBHC aims to create an environment where critical examination of the human experience is the norm, and seeks to provide innovative perspectives on medicine and health -- perspectives that will both challenge and edify all who attend.
Join us at the Oregon Bioethics and Humanities Colloquium as we explore these questions and many more.
Chair
Cliff Coleman, MD, MPH
Doris and Mark Storms Chair in Compassionate Communication
Professor of Family Medicine, School of Medicine
Vice Chair
Dave Hoyt
Ethics & Statewide Education Coordinator
All talks are at 12 pm - 1 pm unless noted otherwise.
Add to Calendar (Outlook, Google, Apple, etc.): HERE
To view the flyer, click HERE.
Accreditation: Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Education (ACCME) to provide continuing education for physicians.
Credit: OHSU School of Medicine designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits . Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation.
To receive CME credit: Please complete the evaluation survey HERE.
Upcoming OBHC Series Presentations 2025-2026
Wednesday, October 15, 2025 | View Recording
Organizational Health Literacy: The Foundation for Achieving Health and Well-Being
Mary Ann Abrams, M.D., MPH
Clinical Assistant Professor, Ohio State University College of Medicine
GME Quality Improvement Medical Director, Nationwide Children’s Hospital
Friday, November 7, 2025 | View Recording
“Confronting Bias, Power, and Oppression in Pediatric Ethics: Sharing A Novel Tool for Pediatric Ethics Consultation”
Sarah Porter, MSW
Social Work Manager
Legacy Health
Friday, December 12, 2025 | WebEx | Flyer
“Medical Mistrust: Conceptual Insights and Empirical Challenges”
Alyssa Newman, PhD
Senior Research Scholar
Kennedy Institute of Ethics
Georgetown University
Friday, January 9, 2026
Drew Grabham, LCSW
Director of Outreach Clinical and Strategy
Central City Concern
Friday, February 6, 2026
Clara Bosco, MD
General Surgery Resident
Northwestern University
Friday, May 15, 2026
TBD
Friday, June 12, 2026
Fabrice Jotterand, PhD, MA
Cornelia Hayes Stevens Endowed Chair
Director, OHSU Center for Ethics in Health Care
Past OBHC Series Presentations
2024-2025
Tuesday, October 8, 2024 | View the recording HERE
“Split Brains, Functional Disorders, and Postictal Violence: Navigating Ethical Dilemmas in Complex Brain Interventions”
Paul Ford, PhD
Program Director
Cleveland Clinic NeuroEthics
November 8, 2024 | View Recording
“Fostering Collaborative Relationships between Patients, Families, and Care Teams”
Chris Feudtner, MD, PhD, MPH
Director of Research, Palliative Care
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
December 6, 2024 | View Recording
“Homelessness and Inclusion Health”
Josephine Ensign, DrPH, MPH, FNP
Professor, University of Washington School of Nursing
Department of Psychosocial and Community Health
January 10, 2025 | View Recording
“OMG, What R They Thinking? Adolescent Brain Development and Implications for Decision-making, Injury Prevention, and Criminal Justice”
Doug Diekema, MD, MPH
Professor, Division of Bioethics and Palliative Care
Seattle Children’s Hospital
May 16, 2025 | View Recording (password: AbhTmCt7)
“Malaria Eradication Attempts in Africa: Historical Lessons on Good Intentions, Unintended Consequences, and Unresolved Ethical Questions”
Melissa Graboyes, PhD, MPH
Associate Professor, University of Oregon
Department of History & Global Health Program
JUNE 6, 2025 | View Recording (password: GfNQeEE4)
"Designing for Wellness: State of our Health"
Barbara Sestak, FAIA
Professor, School of Architecture
Portland State University
2023-2024
Thursday, October 5, 2023
in partnership with the OHSU Department of Pediatrics Grand Rounds
Lainie Friedman Ross, MD, PhD, University of Rochester
Friday, November 10, 2023 | View the recording HERE.
"The History of Medical Uncertainty"
Vera Keller, PhD, University of Oregon
Friday, December 8, 2023 | View the recording HERE.
"Structures of Justice and Fairness in Complex Disposition"
Georgina Campelia, PhD, HEC-C, University of Washington
Friday, January 12, 2024 | View the recording HERE.
"Taking Carework Seriously in Bioethics: The Case of US Nurses During the Pandemic"
LaTonya Trotter, MPH, PhD, University of Washington
Friday, February 9, 2024 | View the recording HERE.
"Dementia Through a Lens of Relational Agency"
Eran Klein, MD, PhD, Oregon Health & Science University
Friday, May 10, 2023
"Justice Rising: A Moral Imagination for a More Trustworthy Bioethics"
Kevin Dirksen, MDiv, MSc, Providence Center for Health Care Ethics
Friday, June 14, 2024
"Outliers and Outlaws: Supporting LGBTQ Elders"
Judith Raiskin, PhD, University of Oregon
2022-2023
Friday, November 18 from 8-9AM PT
By Hughes Evans, MD, PhD
Emory University
Friday, December 9 from 8-9AM PT
By Mary E. Wood, PhD
University of Oregon - view a recording of this presentation HERE
Friday, May 19th from 8-9AM PT
Elaine Hsieh, PhD, JD
University of Minnesota - To view the recording of this lecture, click HERE.
Friday, June 2 from 8-9AM PT
C. Estela Vasquez Guzman, MD, PhD
Oregon Health & Science University - To view the recording of this lecture, click HERE (password: QtyXpex2).
2021-2022
Tuesday, March 1 from 8-9AM PT
by Lydia Dugdale, MD, MAR from the Center for Clinical Medical Ethics in the Department of Medicine at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons.
View the recording of this presentation HERE (Password: hRbh7Ns4)
Thursday, April 14 from 12-1PM PT
by Dr. Daena J. Goldsmith, Professor of Rhetoric & Media Studies and Associate Dean for Faculty Development at Lewis & Clark College. View the recording of this presentation HERE (Password: 8aFdGN9H)
Thursday, May 19 from 12-1PM PT
by William Sturkey, PhD, MA from the University of North Carolina. View the recording of his presentation HERE