Student Experience

See what some students have shared about their experience studying Bioethics here at Wake Forest University.

Student Experience

See what some students have shared about their experience studying Bioethics here at Wake Forest University.

Bryn Saunders, MA ’16

Bryn Saunders was a double major as an undergrad in Chemistry and Philosophy Politics & Economics. Toward the end of her undergraduate career, she wasn’t sure what to do with those very different majors and was searching for a way to combine her different educational experiences.

“I went into the program thinking and expecting one thing and got so much more out of it than I had ever expected. Bioethics is a field that can apply to almost anybody. It’s definitely a good field that will help you grow in terms of understanding the issues of today surrounding research and clinical ethics and our health as human beings.”

Bryn’s experience.
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What other students have said …

I have spent a lot of my life working with diverse constituencies – helping facilitate dialogue to work through differences and build consensus to move forward. That’s a skill that’s tapped into in bioethics. This is definitely where I’m meant to be. I feel rejuvenated and I’m betting on this new-found direction to keep me healthy and vital. This is not a small investment … it’s an investment in my life.

The WFU bioethics program rejuvenated my career by giving voice to a new purpose for my work. The program launched just as my 30+ year career, focused in organization development and executive coaching, was losing its luster. Meanwhile, as surrogate for a chronically ill parent through her last year of life, I had faced countless mysteries in the intersecting worlds of healthcare and the patient experience. In bioethics I found new life in a field that merged my curiosity from personal experience with my professional expertise in human system dynamics. The design of the WFU bioethics program fosters ongoing mentorship from internationally renowned faculty, which led me to a practical internship and connections to statewide advocacy. These in turn led to my dream job developing the clinical ethics program for a 15-hospital healthcare system and the most meaningful work of my career.

Deborah Love, JD, MBA, MA

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the Bioethics Graduate Program has changed my life, but it would probably be more helpful to explain how. I arrived at the program interested in medical humanities, but I had no idea how deep the water was that I was swimming in. My undergraduate degree was in biology, with aspirations of becoming a physician, but I felt that that education alone did not adequately prepare me for the medical field. Having now graduated from medical school, I can confidently say that the Bioethics program filled in the cracks in not only my undergraduate, but also my professional school, education. I left with new tools in my toolkit, from improved writing skills, to a more well-rounded perspective of the field of medicine. Bioethics has grown vastly as a field in recent years and having a background in it came up during every single one of my interviews for medical school and residency. If you want to be better prepared to treat patients as people, learn about health care policy, and tackle challenging topics that you will encounter in the field of health care, look no further than the Bioethics Program. Trained Bioethicists have the ability to make a significant impact in the health care field, both from a policy standpoint and in direct patient care. Speaking from personal experience, a degree from the Bioethics Graduate Program will open doors for you and create opportunities for you to make an impact.

The gift of being acknowledged is one of many things that I learned about during my time in Winston-Salem, and I’m thankful to have the opportunity to acknowledge and support the program. I would not be where I am today without it.

Blake Winston, DO, MA

The Bioethics program at Wake Forest was an amazing experience. The program challenges students to think critically about major bioethical topics, and to be able to productively discuss them with others . This program directly helped my career progression as well. It has helped me enter the world of clinical research from a regulatory and ethical standpoint and has opened doors into reviewing proposed clinical research studies with an IRB. This program certainly gave me the knowledge and skills needed to be successful in this field, and an advantage over others that don’t have this type of experience or background. It provides unique perspectives, challenges, and discussions that help to set its students apart. The professors are not there just to give you material, but to give you an experience that translates to real world skills. Their passion pushes this program to the next level. Not to mention, the program is a lot of fun!

Jon Olson, MA

I am incredibly grateful to the bioethics graduate program. Initially, simply learning about bioethics opened my eyes to my interest in the broad array of dilemmas faced in healthcare settings. With the support of the faculty and staff, my engagement with bioethics grew as I discovered the ways that this intellectual interest could combine with the activism of social work in a fulfilling career. Finally, I find it unique that the bioethics graduate program has fostered such a close community and broad network of colleagues eager to support each other and work together, creating opportunities aimed at the improvement of healthcare. I appreciate all this program has done for me, both in personal development and in opportunities!

Laura Scott, MSW, MA

As an undergraduate who studied Biology, my method of learning and understanding of how our world functions (scientifically) has always been based on factual concepts. The Bioethics Program has allowed me to hone a different type of learning and understanding of the world by teaching the many different sides of controversial issues in the field of medicine, both new and old, in order to form my own, unique opinion.

Michael Hanamirian, MA

Starting the bioethics program right after undergrad gave me a head start on my graduate education and allowed me to focus completely on bioethics. Thanks to the bioethics program at Wake Forest University, I now have a deeper understanding of the human side of medicine. I have a firmer grasp of the doctor-patient relationship. Having an MA in bioethics makes me a better doctor.

Meg Maultsby, MD,MA

I was fascinated just by the array of issues that were out there. As a student, I learned about the detailed functions and operations of ethics consultation and IRBs, and the issues surrounding health-law & public policy. As a bioethics project coordinator, I get to experience the practical application of what I’ve learned in the classroom, and there is no doubt the program has given me a strong foundation for handling bioethical issues in the real world.

Gerardo Maradiaga, MA

One thing that I really enjoyed about this program is the diversity of the students – people with higher educations and graduate degrees, undergraduate degrees, and people from diverse backgrounds, not only in education but in life.

Roger Cole, MD, MA