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- Centro Universitário São Camilo - 2014;8(3):247-250
A decade of graduate courses in Bioethics – São
Camilo University Center
From a “simple” neologism, in spite of being so
loaded with deep meanings, Bioethics is today recognized as a specific field of knowledge. By its own essence
and nature, it is an interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary
and transdisciplinary field
According to philosophers of science, a new knowledge field reaches its paradigmatic phase, i.e. its phase of
consolidation, just when it is able to educate the members of its internal community, in our case, bioethicists.
This paradigmatic phase, in current Brazilian society, is attested by the creation of Stricto Sensu Graduate
Courses.
Already in 1996-1997, nearly 2 years after having foundation and effective creation of the Sociedade
Brasileira de Bioética [Brazilian Society of Bioethics],
we try to introduce, with the support of the Society, a
Graduate Program in Bioethics.
In spite of the approval of the idea, there were some
incontrollable facts that made the idea not to come true,
but the idea had remained strong.
At the end of the 1990’s, because of the development
of Bioethics and due to the need of educating bioethicists as an essential step for meeting necessities especially
those linked to the installation of the Committees of
Ethics in Research created by 196/96 Resolution CNS
(Ethical Guidelines for Research in Human beings), the
idea was retaken and we tried to plant the seed in a public university in São Paulo.
Recognizing what none of the groups interested in
Bioethics had the intellectual and human resources for
the several disciplines with constitute the new field of
knowledge, one contemplated the idea of bringing together such human resources in an ‹interinstitutional›
graduate course, gathering professors of several disciplines and several institutions in the same program. For
merely bureaucratic reasons, the seed was not planted.
Now, however, the seed partially planted germinated. It was, then that the idea was retaken, and the plant,
recently germinated, began to look for shelter.
At the beginning of the 21st century, in 2002, the
São Camilo University Center, a renowned nucleus recognized as an active one in the field of Bioethics, made
a generous offer as the headquarters of a group of bioethicists.
The Graduate Program project was then prepared
with the participation of bioethicists of several higherlearning institutions of the State of São Paulo (University of São Paulo, UNESP, UNICAMP, UNIFESP, São
Camilo University Center).
The project was sent to CAPES in 2003 and it was
recommended in 2004.
Thus, in August of 2004, we implanted the first
Stricto Sensu Graduate Course in Bioethics in Brazil.
Being the first one in the Country, without parameters
to be emulated, and as it was a pioneering initiative,
chiefly in the ethics field, one considered relevant to ask
only for the accreditation of a Master›s degree.
The paradigmatic phase was then consolidated in
the field of Bioethics, with the inception of the education of an internal community of Bioethicists.
Due to the pioneering experience and the existence
of the course, it was possible, after an adequate responsibility and maturing, to introduce, soon after the Masters’ degree, the doctorate.
In 2010, on the basis of the experience and after 73
masters completing the program, we enlarged the number of disciplines and dissertations and thesis directors,
and the doctorate was accredited.
In 2013, post-doctorate supervision was introduced.
In 2014, the Program completes a decade of existence.
Some characteristics and numbers of the Program:
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It offers, annually, 20 vacancies for the Master›s degree and 10-15 for Doctorate and its members already
supervised 10 post-doctorate researches.
It offers 17 disciplines (55 credits).
It has 80% of faculty members as permanent professors and 20% as collaborators.
The Program has 121 Masters’s degrees and 10 doctorates completed.
The Program began in 2007 to publish a Journal
specially dedicated to Bioethics (the Bioethikos Journal),
with quarterly periodicity (Qualis B2, the fourth best
scientific Journals official classification).
The Program has published 41 books and 125 book
chapters in the field.
It maintains 1 national and 4 international academic
agreements: - Secretaria de Direitos Humanos do Município de São Paulo [General Office of Human Rights]
(National); - Georgetown University, Washington D.C.,
USA; - Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile – Programa de Bioética [Bioethics Program] – OPAS; - Portuguese Catholic University; - Medical School of Toronto
University – Dr. Lawrence Librach.
- Centro Universitário São Camilo - 2014;8(3):247-250
After the approval of the program of São Camilo
University Center, there were installed in Brazil 3 more
Graduate programs in Bioethics, and they are active in
the field.
Our Program received candidates from several different areas: Medicine (17%), Nursing (14%), Law
(10%), Philosophy (9%), Psychology (8%), Biology
(6%), Physical Therapy (5%), Nutrition (5%), Administration (4%), Theology (4%), Biomedicine (3%),
Journalism (3%), Pedagogy (3%), Engineering (3%),
Sociology (1%), Social Service (1%), Gastronomy (1%),
Technology (1%), Occupational Therapy (1%) and
Speech Therapy (1%), in a total of 78.
At the moment we reach a decade of existence, we
want to present our feelings of gratitude to all professors
and graduate students of the Programa de Pós-Graduação em Bioética [Graduate Program in Bioethics] (Master’s degree and Doctorate) and post-doctoral researches
of São Camilo University Center.
William Saad Hossne*
Leo Pessini**
DOI: 10.15343/1981-8254.20140803247250
* Physician. Emeritus professor (Surgery) of State University of São Paulo – UNESP, Medical School, campus Botucatu-SP, Brazil. Ex-President of the National Commission of
Ethics in Research – CONEP. Member of the International Committee of Bioethics – UNESCO. Coordinator of the Stricto sensu Programme in Bioethics (Master Degree and
Ph.D.), São Camilo University Center-SP, Brazil. E-mail: [email protected]
** Post-doctorate at the Edinboro University – James F. Drane Bioethics Institute, Pennsylvania, USA. Ph.D., Theology/Bioethics. He has done studies in Clinical Pastoral Education and Bioethics at St Luke’s Medical Center. Professor of the Stricto sensu Programme in Bioethics (Master Degree and Ph.D.), São Camilo University Center-SP, Brazil.
E-mail: [email protected]
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