Senior Honors Seminars: The Human Condition and Bioethics
As I reflect on these last four years at the University of Cincinnati—and look forward to the next for years in medical school at Wright State University—the timing of these two seminars could not be more appropriate—both as transition and informal capstone courses.
The Human Condition, one of the all-around best courses I have taken at UC, focuses on the question of what it means to live well by analyzing the mind, the soul, and the body through the arts, history, and science. In this way, it has given me the opportunity to look back on my unique undergraduate course load combining German Studies and Biology, and then connect it with my passion for service to others. Furthermore, this seminar has encouraged me to think more broadly—outside the realms of school, career, and successes of the like—about my life, what brings meaning to me, and how I should live my life. So while I am technically taking an official capstone course, I feel that The Human Condition seminar is truly the capstone course of my undergraduate education: it has concluded my studies while also opening the door to much wider thought and possibility, meaningful beyond compare.
While The Human Condition seminar has provided me with a framework with which to approach life and learning, the Bioethics seminar has helped to solidify my past experiences in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and prepare me for the issues I will undoubtedly face in my coming years as I begin my medical education. By discussing ethical principles and groundwork, I have been able to reflect on some of the difficult issues I have witness in the PICU, such as withdrawing life-sustaining treatments and organ donation. Additionally, addressing these issues also helps me feel more prepared as I embark on the next stages of my education.
In these ways, both of these seminars have been extremely valuable, both to my education and to me personally. Taking both in my last undergraduate semester has been a blessing, and I truly believe the timing could not be better, as I now have the education and experiences that I can bring as assets to the class and use to reflect on what I learn. Furthermore, I am now in a position where these courses will make the biggest impact on my life.
The Human Condition, one of the all-around best courses I have taken at UC, focuses on the question of what it means to live well by analyzing the mind, the soul, and the body through the arts, history, and science. In this way, it has given me the opportunity to look back on my unique undergraduate course load combining German Studies and Biology, and then connect it with my passion for service to others. Furthermore, this seminar has encouraged me to think more broadly—outside the realms of school, career, and successes of the like—about my life, what brings meaning to me, and how I should live my life. So while I am technically taking an official capstone course, I feel that The Human Condition seminar is truly the capstone course of my undergraduate education: it has concluded my studies while also opening the door to much wider thought and possibility, meaningful beyond compare.
While The Human Condition seminar has provided me with a framework with which to approach life and learning, the Bioethics seminar has helped to solidify my past experiences in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and prepare me for the issues I will undoubtedly face in my coming years as I begin my medical education. By discussing ethical principles and groundwork, I have been able to reflect on some of the difficult issues I have witness in the PICU, such as withdrawing life-sustaining treatments and organ donation. Additionally, addressing these issues also helps me feel more prepared as I embark on the next stages of my education.
In these ways, both of these seminars have been extremely valuable, both to my education and to me personally. Taking both in my last undergraduate semester has been a blessing, and I truly believe the timing could not be better, as I now have the education and experiences that I can bring as assets to the class and use to reflect on what I learn. Furthermore, I am now in a position where these courses will make the biggest impact on my life.