Reconciling Religious Values and Professional Ethics in Caring for LGBTQ Patients
Khalid Elzamzamy and Margaret Chisolm, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD; and Rumia Owaisi, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
In recent decades, the clinical, legal, and scientific discourse surrounding LGBTQ issues in healthcare has accelerated exponentially. However, little attention has been given to the ethical challenges faced by clinicians from faith traditions whose religious convictions may conflict with certain LGBTQ-related convictions or behaviors, or conflict with some professional recommendations regarding gender-affirming care for which the scientific evidence is weak. In a cultural setting in which certain convictions are framed as human rights, these conflicting ideologic values have led to significant ethical dilemmas for clinicians, resulting – in some cases – in legal and professional consequences, including expulsion of students from training programs.
This workshop will engage the audience in critical questions about the moral dilemmas these clinicians face as they strive to remain authentic to their values while practicing ethically and professionally and navigating care for LGBTQ individuals. The workshop will explore how these dilemmas impact clinical practice and explore recommendations for maintaining ethical conduct without compromising one’s values, neglecting one’s moral duties, unnecessarily infringing on patient autonomy, or engaging in discrimination. This conversation encourages a better understanding of the ethical dilemmas experienced by clinicians with traditional religious beliefs, yielding guidance on reconciling religious values with professional ethics, and ensuring clinicians are not forced to choose between their values and their careers. By offering a space to discuss these dilemmas, clinicians will be better equipped to navigate challenging clinical situations with greater clarity, thereby minimizing the risk of ethical misconduct and reducing the likelihood of legal consequences.
The workshop will utilize group-based and case-based teaching methods, and will include measures and scales for the purposes of self-reflection.
This workshop addresses the conference theme by exploring the ethical and moral challenges encountered by faith-based clinicians, who often find themselves on the periphery of modern healthcare norms, especially in contexts related to LGBTQ care. At the same time, LGBTQ individuals themselves often face marginalization within healthcare and religious spaces. By addressing the nuanced dilemmas where these intersecting identities and ethical values potentially create friction, the session fosters hope and ethical clarity.
After participating in this session, attendees should be able to:
This workshop will engage the audience in critical questions about the moral dilemmas these clinicians face as they strive to remain authentic to their values while practicing ethically and professionally and navigating care for LGBTQ individuals. The workshop will explore how these dilemmas impact clinical practice and explore recommendations for maintaining ethical conduct without compromising one’s values, neglecting one’s moral duties, unnecessarily infringing on patient autonomy, or engaging in discrimination. This conversation encourages a better understanding of the ethical dilemmas experienced by clinicians with traditional religious beliefs, yielding guidance on reconciling religious values with professional ethics, and ensuring clinicians are not forced to choose between their values and their careers. By offering a space to discuss these dilemmas, clinicians will be better equipped to navigate challenging clinical situations with greater clarity, thereby minimizing the risk of ethical misconduct and reducing the likelihood of legal consequences.
The workshop will utilize group-based and case-based teaching methods, and will include measures and scales for the purposes of self-reflection.
This workshop addresses the conference theme by exploring the ethical and moral challenges encountered by faith-based clinicians, who often find themselves on the periphery of modern healthcare norms, especially in contexts related to LGBTQ care. At the same time, LGBTQ individuals themselves often face marginalization within healthcare and religious spaces. By addressing the nuanced dilemmas where these intersecting identities and ethical values potentially create friction, the session fosters hope and ethical clarity.
After participating in this session, attendees should be able to:
- Describe key ethical challenges that clinicians with traditional religious beliefs may encounter when addressing LGBTQ-related issues in healthcare settings.
- Analyze the impact of cultural, legal, and professional pressures on clinicians’ ability to maintain ethical practice while upholding their religious convictions.
- Evaluate different strategies for reconciling personal values and duties with professional ethics to ensure non-discrimination in clinical care.