KICKIN’ IT: Kurium Govender, representing the Steve Biko Centre for Bioethics and Wits students Bioethics society members, Tumisang Molokwane and Necole Pelsner at the launch of the news society. Photo: Tendai Dube
Seven passionate health sciences students have launched the first Wits Students Bioethics Society at the med school campus on Tuesday night.
The society aims to make bioethics “real and tangible,” and to mainstream discussions about bioethics. Bioethics refers to the application of ethics to medical and healthcare practices.
“Our hope is that students will see bioethics as not something that is theoretical but rather as something you can sit down at lunch and talk about, “explained Lesne Pucjlowski, one of the founding members.
Pucjlowski formed the society with fellow students Brendan Savary, Nicole Pelser, Sizwe Masango, Thabang Mokoena, Tumisang Molokwane and Joseph Tewson.
“As healthcare practitioners of the future and of today, its our duty to question, question everything, said Pucjlowski.
“Blindly following ones’ superiors and then claiming personal innocence is absolutely ignorant, and it’s our responsibility as future healthcare practitioners to eradicate ignorance, especially that of a bio-ethical nature, “ he added.
Guest speakers at the launch event included Brian Rappert, professor of science, technology and public affairs in the department of sociology and philosophy at the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom and Dr Chandré Gould, senior research fellow in the Crime and Justice Division of the Institute for Security Studies (ISS).
