Medical Ethicists

Medical ethics has been a growing industry for more than 20 years, and this trend should continue. The sheer quantity of issues demanding attention from medical ethicists will undoubtedly continue to expand as advances in technology, like the mapping of the human genome, are made.

However, despite the bioethics boom, jobs remain relatively few in number. Only the most qualified experts make medical ethics a full-time career; most will supplement their work teaching or consulting in their area of expertise, such as law, religion, or medicine. The advent of managed health care has made it difficult for most institutions to hire full-time medical ethicists. Also, as more universities offer master's level and certificate-level programs, they can provide current employees with medical ethics training, rather than providing openings for new staff members.

While colleges or universities employ many medical ethicists, the academic sector alone cannot provide jobs for everyone entering the field. Medical ethics jobs in the government sector will provide additional opportunities. Government staff positions include working with congressional health committees, state and legislative health subcommittees, and executive branch policy-related committees.

Institutional research boards (IRBs) also provide jobs for medical ethicists. IRBs have grown in number as both the amount of research being conducted and the regulatory demands on that research continue to increase. Most IRBs are affiliated with hospitals or universities, but some independent IRBs offer consulting on new drug and device reviews.

One thing to keep in mind is there is a high level of competition for jobs. Medical ethics has become an exciting field that is often in the news. As a result, it has attracted many students, resulting in a large number of graduates seeking out a limited number of positions.