Launching the Medicine & Society Program: A Journey Through Bioethics, Culture, and Care in the Heart of Rome
This May 2025, the University of Houston Honors College is proud to launch a transformative study abroad opportunity — the Medicine & Society Program, in partnership with the UNESCO Chair in Bioethics and Human Rights. Hosted in the Eternal City of Rome, this unique, week-long program invites students to explore the ethical, cultural, and philosophical dimensions of medicine through a global lens.
Why This Program Matters
In an age of rapid scientific progress and global interconnection, the practice of medicine demands more than clinical skill — it calls for a deep understanding of the human condition. The Medicine & Society Program responds to this need by weaving together philosophy, neuroscience, bioethics, and art to foster an interdisciplinary and intercultural approach to healthcare.
Students will examine essential questions like:
- Am I something or someone?
- What makes a good doctor or caregiver?
- Are we merely our brains?
- What beauty will save the world?
These are not just academic inquiries — they are not the building blocks of a more human, reflective, and ethical approach to medicine.
A Classroom Without Walls
Structured over 5 immersive days (May 12–16, 2025), the program blends morning seminars with afternoon site-based learning, where Rome itself becomes the classroom. From exploring the Colosseum and Vatican Museums to reflecting on art and science at Church of St. Jerome of Charity and the rooms of St. Philip Neri and Academy of Sanitary Art History, students will encounter living history and enduring ideas at every turn.
Course Highlights Include:
- Lectures by global experts in bioethics, neuroscience, and medical humanities
- Collaborative seminars hosted at the Ateneo Pontificio Regina Apostolorum
- Cultural tours of iconic Roman landmarks and lesser-known spiritual sites
- Daily dialogue on intercultural medicine, personhood, and human rights
Academic Credit & Future Pathways
This experience is anchored in the Honors College course HON3397H: Global Bioethics, offering academic credit and laying a foundation for further study, research, or careers in medicine, law, ethics, public health, and the humanities. Students will also be introduced to international graduate opportunities and research networks supported by the UNESCO Chair.