First Impressions Really Aren't Everything

Going in to this class I was hopeful for the intellectual satisfaction of having deep, controversial discussions with my peers in order to explore the views of others, as well as shape my own, regarding the sensitive topics of bioethics. I had not yet realized how much bioethics was already impacting my life. I was under the impression I would be diving in to a new world, one I had not yet encountered, but quickly realized I was wrong. I was also swiftly acquainted to the fact that the subject runs much deeper than I had originally anticipated. I didn't know that I had already formulated opinions about many of the topics, but never really philosophized over them. A key example being Anna's story found in the second chapter of Bioethics: The Basics. When it began I thought I could clearly see where it was going: Was it right to let her die? Was everyone involved acting ethically? What do you think? Only to be surprised when they began discussing the duties of those involved. Was it the doctor's duty, as a healthcare professional, to encourage her to go on living even though she was unhappy? This one hit me particularly hard because I believe Anna had the right to die, as I would want to in this situation, but as someone perusing a career in medicine, I had to ask myself what I would do as the doctor. This provoked an internal moral struggle because as I said before I believe she has the right to die, but on the other hand is it my role as a healthcare professional to tell someone the implications of what they're doing? Furthermore, do I have any right to encourage or discourage her decision? What if instead I had a patient who was barely alive, had no friends or family, and no ability to care for them self, can I bring up the option of dying to them? These and several other provocative questions began flooding my mind, proving to me that this is a class I should not and will not ever underestimate again.