The Center Welcomes Kayhan Parsi and Nanette Elster – A Tribute to Mentorship and Transformation

Bioethics is a field of lifelong study. It is never enough to know what you know, because the nature of medicine and ethics changes quickly. Those in the field – and especially those who are new to it – will often spend a considerable amount of time on self-study and independent learning. It is a field that requires personal dedication to continued growth. I have taken this to heart and, no matter how involved or established I am, I am always looking to grow.

Learning can take different forms, from reading bioethics journals to listening to medical ethics lectures. But the best way to learn within the field is through mentorship. Bioethics carries the long tradition of those in the field sharing their passion for the subject with the next generation of bioethicists and guiding them as they grow themselves. I hold an infinite debt to my mentors, who gave me the personal attention I needed to learn more and to establish the right approach.

The Introduction

Several years back, I was a working bioethicist in the Pacific Northwest. I was the head of a medical ethics department for a hospital system and had done countless clinical ethics consultations with patients. But I still had the passion to learn more and grow further within the field. I became interested in pursuing a Doctorate in Bioethics at Loyola University Chicago, and in its leadership in developing the next generation of bioethicists.

I was committed to continuing my education and reached out to the program to learn more. That was when I first became acquainted with Dr. Kayhan Parsi. He called me personally, and we had a long conversation about the program. I had my concerns, but those were quickly gone after speaking with him. I learned about his approach to clinical ethics consultation, teaching bioethics, and growing the field of bioethics. I was truly impressed and enthusiastically submitted my application to the program.

The Simulation

Since I was already a working clinical ethicist, I approached the program differently from many of my classmates. I was able to draw from personal experience and real patients I had consulted with. My biggest concern about the program was that I might only be engaging with topics and ideas I had already used in my work. But I was humbly surprised.

This came into focus when I was on Loyola’s campus for a clinical ethics consultation simulation class. This class was designed for students to practice clinical ethics consultation with simulated patients. I was confident since I had already done many ethics consults and had developed my own techniques. But this opportunity proved to be an awakening to how much more there was to learn.

Working directly with Dr. Parsi and Professor Nanette Elster, I learned new ways to engage with patients, families, and other healthcare providers. I learned how to structure a clinical ethics consult, how to document it in the patient’s chart, and how to develop the work outside of the patient’s room. I walked away from that class excited by the new ways of approaching the field and by how I was going to bring them into my own work.

Commitment to Professionalism

What I appreciated most about the work of Kayhan and Nanette was their commitment to the professionalism of the field. I was mildly frustrated by the common state of bioethics and clinical ethics consultation. Too often it seemed that others viewed it as simply giving opinions and insights, disconnected from the normal hospital workflow. Their commitment to establishing clinical ethics as a healthcare specialty was exactly the approach I valued.

They worked on the establishment of the Healthcare Ethics Consultant Certification (HEC-C) program, which became the field standard for certifying ethicists. They also worked on the Assessing Clinical Ethics Skills (ACES) tool, which is both a learning rubric and a way of determining if a clinical ethics consult was done properly. It included key aspects such as clarifying ethical dilemmas, engaging with patients and their families with dignity and respect, and ensuring that all important information was known to all. Their approach and the tools they developed truly helped add credibility to the field. I have taken what I learned at Loyola to grow as an ethicist while recognizing that this is truly a lifelong journey of learning.

John B. Francis Chairs in Bioethics

After graduation, I continued to be impressed by their work and by the growth of the program. The Loyola alumni network is deep, impressive, and extremely engaged. We can fill a large room at our annual gathering at the American Society for Bioethics and Humanities conference. Being around others who look up to Kayhan and Nanette the same way I do has helped me feel deeply connected to the larger field of bioethics.

They understand that they are mentoring the next generation of ethicists, and they take that responsibility seriously. There are so many ethicists across the world who view Kayhan Parsi and Nanette Elster as their role models and mentors. I am lucky enough to count myself among them, and it is a wonderful –

and constantly growing – group to be part of.

And now, their work and leadership are not just something I look back on as formative in my own development – they are part of our present and future. Dr. Parsi and Professor Elster have joined the Center as our Francis Chairs, bringing with them the same vision, rigor, and mentorship that shaped me and countless others. Their presence here is not just an addition; it is a transformation. They elevate the Center by carrying forward the professionalization of bioethics, the training of future leaders, and the insistence that ethics belongs at the very heart of healthcare. For those of us who know them, this feels like a homecoming. For those just beginning to work with them, it is the start of something extraordinary.

By Ryan Pferdehirt, D.Bioethics, HEC-C