AboutPaul D. Friedman, M.A., Ph.D., J.D. Expertise In addition to my law degree, I have a master's degree in bioethics and a doctorate of philosophy involving comparative medical, legal and business ethics. I am an adjunct professor at a medical school teaching ethics to healthcare professionals and graduate students.
I can answer questions dealing with general ethics principles, including legal ethics, medical ethics, bioethics and business ethics. I am not a moralist and do not interject subjective values such as what is morally right and wrong. Also, I do not give legal advice over the internet.
Experience I am a licensed attorney, real estate broker and adjunct professor.
Experience in the area I have been a civil trial attorney since 1989 with a masters degree in bioethics and a doctorate of philosophy involving comparative ethics.
Organizations State Bar of Arizona
State Bar of Colorado (inactive)
District of Columbia Bar (inactive)
Federal Bar
Licensed in the Arizona District Court
Licensed in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
licensed in the United States Supreme Court American Bar Association American Association for Justice Arizona Trial Lawyers Association American Society for Bioethics and Humanities Kennedy Institute of Ethics National Association of Realtors
Education/Credentials Bachelor of Arts 1985
Juris Doctorate 1989
Master of Arts in Bioethics 2004 Doctorate in Philosophy 2006
Awards and Honors Phi Beta Kappa
Multiple Who's Who
Publications A list of my copyrighted publications and presentations is contained at WWW.EXPERTETHICS.COM
Question QUESTION: I was just wondering where you did your masters in bioethics and how, and what you have done with it. I am a student in ethics, and I am in a bioethics course. I want to persue bioethics as a career, perhaps as a bioethicist in a hospital, or as a researcher in a lab. Anyways, how did you go about becoming a bioethicist, and do you have any tips for an undergrad.
ANSWER: Lisa,
I went back after lawschool but many of the master's students had bachelor's degrees. I went to Midwestern University/Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine. I know of 2 other graduate bioethics programs which are Penn and Wisconsin.
Some progressive teaching hospitals have fellows or staff bioethicists. A number of national research laboratories have bioethicists. Also, some universities have IRBs which approve university experimentation.
Also, a larger number of hospitals have formed bioethics or ethics committees.
I suggest you take some philosophy classes since most of the university programs are philosophy based. You may also wish to take some theologic classes as some programs are religion based such as the Kennedy Institute at Georgetown.
Bioethics is a needed and growing field. Technology advances exponentially and humanity needs to catch up with that technology.
I wish you the best. Feel free to ask more questions.
Very truly yours,
Paul D. Friedman, M.A., Ph.D., J.D.
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QUESTION: Well, I am in ethics, so I do have a bunch of philosophy classes. Funny thing is, I actually hate philosophy, but I find ethics interesting becasue applied ethics can be very useful. I got a volunteer position at a local hospital through my bioethics class, and I am hoping to shadow some of the ethics meetings. Thanks's for the information on the places that offer ethics studies. Do you konw of any information for places in canada that offer a masters or doctorate program?
Answer Lisa,
I don't know of places in Canada off the top of my head, however, you can type in a search engine "bioethics graduate programs in Canada". Some programs such as the University of Wisconsin or Midwestern now offer distance (online) programs. In fact, some of the course I teach are online.
It sounds like you are preparing yourself for this graduate program. I also am interested in applied ethics as opposed to theoretical ethics.
Lisa, it appears the University of Toronto has a graduate bioethics program in Canada.
