Eric S Swirsky

Email Address: eswir@uic.edu
College: Applied Health Sciences Department: Biomed and Health Info Sciences
Secondary Department: Honors College
Title: Clinical Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies
Office: 259AHSB Phone: 312-996-8237
Webpage: https://ahs.uic.edu/biomedical-health-information-sciences/directory/swirsky-eric-scott/
Participating in the Chancellor’s Undergraduate Research Awards program: Yes

Research Interest:
1) Moral Distress Project (MDP) -- Moral distress within the health professions arises from conflict of a moral agent’s integrity with professional values and responsibilities within a clinical environment. Moral distress arises in a number of situations and has numerous effects upon students and clinicians, including preventing them from doing what they believe is the right. There have been a number of studies on moral distress; however, most have focused upon the profession of nursing while few specifically review the experience of medical students. The MDP with produce a) a narrative review intended to broaden the definition of moral distress to evaluate its various triggers and forms that arise in medical education, and b) a international survey of medical students' experience with moral distress. By identifying the sources and types of moral distress that arise in medical students during training, educators can inform their curricula to respond deliberately in promoting and preserving the well-being of learners.

Minimum time commitment in hours per week: 5-10

Qualifications of a Student:
Honors College student preferred, but all highly motivated students will be considered. Willingness to learn new things to address interdisciplinary research challenges. All projects are open to students at any level--freshman to senior.

Brief Summary of what is expected from the student:
I'm an attorney and clinical ethicist conducting quantitative and mixed methods investigations into the hidden curriculum and moral distress n academic medicine. There is no lab science being conducted, and the work would primarily involve locating, reading, summarizing and discussing articles from the philosophical and scientific literature. Later phases will include survey validation and ultimate collection of target data. Willingness to go to library and attend meetings on campus with Professor Swirsky to support work is preferred. Students are expected to connect regularly to discuss progress.

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