Mission

What do doctors do?

Doctors heal people.

We can all unanimously agree that medical professionals work to heal other people. However, what does it mean to “heal” somebody? What methods are considered righteous when “healing” others? With limited resources, who deserves to be “healed”? Do some people even need to be “healed”?

These questions poke at the heart of bioethics — the study of ethical issues that arise in the medical world. So often do we overlook the ethical dilemmas present in the medical field, for we don’t want to question the noble work of medical professionals.

Hi, I’m Edison, and I’m an incoming first-year student at Northwestern University. Through the Ethical Microscope, I hope to examine and acquaint the general population of the current bioethical issues.

Where did it all begin?

It all began at a local Panera Bread. As I ordered my typical chicken and rice soup, I waited for my college interviewer to arrive. Just then, I received a text: “Hi, I’m near the cashier wearing a pair of scrubs. Hope to see you soon!”

I greeted my interviewer and we took our seats at a small table.

For the most part, the interview progressed like any other college interview, with me elaborating upon my interests and daily schedule. With the conversation turning a bit dry, I suddenly flipped the script, asking my interviewer what his days were like.

As I watched a grin appear on his face, my interviewer began to detail his days as a transplant surgeon. While his description of a typical day at the hospital was enlightening, it was his account of patients who failed to qualify for transplants that struck a chord with me. I wondered to myself, what determined an organ recipient’s qualification?

That night, I began to delve into the intricacies of organ transplantation. I researched Organ Procurement Organizations (OPO), as well the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN). While comprehending the donation process, I also began to notice the numerous articles detailing the racial and socioeconomic inequities in organ donation. With a more general search, I also discovered broader bioethical issues prevalent in the medical industry: genetic engineering, end-of-life decisions, and artificial intelligence, just to name a few. In that moment, I realized the oversight of the general populace in the definition of “medical aid”.

And that was the birth of the Ethical Microscope. A platform where I could take a microscopic view of the medical industry, exploring the various bioethical issues.