Pre-Meds Begin Ethics Society

A group of pre-medical students has founded the Hippocratic Society, a new student organization that will address social and ethical issues in medicine.

The founders of the group, which is in the process of gaining College recognition, said they hope to foster greater warmth in the pre-medical program.

"We would like to help address the idea that pre-meds are cutthroats [and] to help to establish a community among pre-meds," said Steering Committee Member Jonathan R. Murrow '97 in an interview yesterday.

Margaret E. Bourdeaux '97, another founding member, said she agreed. "I find the pre-med atmosphere pretty cold at times," she said.

Bourdeaux said she hopes the group will address what she feels is an important aspect of pre-medical education: the human side of medicine.

"Doctors play a big moral role in society. [That role] does not necessarily relate directly to the sciences or the study of disease," Bourdeaux said. "We turn out doctors who can't deal with the human side of things, [with] the implications of their position."

Jason I. Comander '97 said he feels that more courses in medical ethics should be required in medical education.

"It is a question of emphasis," he said. "You should not just throw in a course at the end in ethics."

The society's steering committee plans to hold weekly discussion groups, led by selected faculty speakers, local doctors and health officials, to look at different issues involving the medical profession, according to Murrow.

The steering committee, formed of about 10 undergraduates, has already met and formed a list of potential topics, including doctor-patientrelations, Bourdeaux said.

Murrow and Bourdeaux said they first discussedthe possibility of the society after taking"General Education 105: The Literature of SocialReflection," taught by Professor of Psychiatry andMedical Humanities Robert Coles '50. The two thentalked over the idea of the organization withColes.

"We bounced the idea off Dr. Coles," Murrowsaid. "He thought it was a great idea. Heencouraged us to follow up on it."

Both Coles and Head Tutor of the ChemistryDepartment Professor James E. Davis serve asfaculty advisors to the society.

The founding members said they hope the group'sactivities will later include visits to sheltersfor battered women and the homeless and to primarycare units. They also said they would like toanalyze the state of community health care.

The Hippocratic Society will meet for the firsttime in the Quincy Junior Common Room on April 3to view "The Doctor," a film with William Hurt.The film will be followed by a group discussionwith Professor of Medical Anthropology J. ByronGood

Murrow and Bourdeaux said they first discussedthe possibility of the society after taking"General Education 105: The Literature of SocialReflection," taught by Professor of Psychiatry andMedical Humanities Robert Coles '50. The two thentalked over the idea of the organization withColes.

"We bounced the idea off Dr. Coles," Murrowsaid. "He thought it was a great idea. Heencouraged us to follow up on it."

Both Coles and Head Tutor of the ChemistryDepartment Professor James E. Davis serve asfaculty advisors to the society.

The founding members said they hope the group'sactivities will later include visits to sheltersfor battered women and the homeless and to primarycare units. They also said they would like toanalyze the state of community health care.

The Hippocratic Society will meet for the firsttime in the Quincy Junior Common Room on April 3to view "The Doctor," a film with William Hurt.The film will be followed by a group discussionwith Professor of Medical Anthropology J. ByronGood