Carolyn Szetela, PhD

Carolyn (Carey) Szetela, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Medical and Professional Education at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee. She completed her degree in philosophy, with a medical ethics specialization, at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville in 1998. Dr. Szetela designs and presents ethics curricula for medical students, physicians, and researchers. She coordinates opportunities for medical student training in interprofessional and community settings as they learn to deliver coordinated, effective and humanistic healthcare. In her role teaching ethics, she encourages knowledge competencies along with role play and reflection upon attitudes to help build students’ and trainees’ confidence in knowing and honoring ethical practices in patient care. She serves as Vice-Chair of the Nashville General Hospital ethics committee.

Dr. Szetela’s focal interests in ethics include behavioral and social medicine, the prevention of harms due to alcohol and drug misuse, and issues related to genetics and precision medicine. She encourages diverse perspectives in exploring potential benefits and harms of precision medicine, and advocates justice considerations in the application of precision medicine within healthcare.