The section of Healthcare Ethics, department IQ healthcare, (Radboudumc university medical centre) organizes the advanced European bioethics course ‘Suffering, Death and Palliative Care’.

Objective of this course is to educate the participants on two main aspects: ethical questions of palliative care and medically assisted death, and philosophical, theological and medical reflections on the concepts of death and suffering. Attitudes towards death and dying, and the ethical aspects of continuing or foregoing medical treatment, and of medically assisted death receive considerable attention in this course. In addition, the dimensions of spirituality, rituals and intercultural diversity are covered.

This course deals with a variety of topics in the domain of palliative care: autonomy and dependence; scientific research in palliative care; palliative sedation and euthanasia; death, suffering and palliative care; quality of life and a good death; spirituality and palliative care and cultural aspects of death and dying. There will be time for intensive discussions.

The course management strives for a diverse group of participants, with a large diversity in professional and cultural background. This diversity among both faculty and participants stimulates fruitful exchange of ideas and enhances understanding of others’ professional and cultural perspectives on suffering, death and palliative care.