Program Overview

Introduction to the ACS-MacLean Center Surgical Ethics Fellowship

The American College of Surgeons (ACS)-MacLean Center Fellowship is a unique program that combines clinical medical ethics rigor with a focus on surgery and surgical research ethics. Sponsored by the MacLean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics and the Department of Surgery, this fellowship is designed for surgical residents, fellows, or attending surgeons from outside the University of Chicago who are interested in gaining training and experience in surgical ethics.

Program Overview

The ACS-MacLean Center Fellowship builds on the MacLean Center’s successful clinical medical ethics fellowship program. The goal of the surgical ethics program is to prepare surgeons for careers that combine clinical surgery with scholarly studies in surgical ethics. The fellowship includes training in research, teaching, and clinical Ethics Consultations, in addition to monthly surgical ethics case conferences and the opportunity to participate in the surgical ethics curriculum and mentored research in surgical ethics.

Fellowship Details

• Begins with a four-to-five-week, full-time Summer Intensive introduction (July-August)
• From September to June, fellows meet one day a week on Wednesdays for a structured ethics curriculum
• Curriculum includes:
  • Topics in Clinical Ethics, Law and Ethics
  • Introduction to Moral Philosophy
  • Surgical Ethics
  • Research-in-Progress seminars
• Fellows participate and are supervised in an Ethics Consultation service
• Working with faculty mentors in surgery, each fellow will design and carry out a research project
• Partial support for travel costs during the year of fellowship training is available

Criteria for Selection

To be selected for the American College of Surgeons-MacLean Center Surgical Ethics Fellowship Program, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• If a resident, the applicant must be in good standing and have the endorsement of the Program Director; if a faculty member, the applicant must have the endorsement of the Section Chief or Department Chair
• A commitment to integrating surgical ethics into career plans
• A proposed research project that could be completed during the fellowship year
• A commitment to the ideals and missions of the American College of Surgeons

Application Details

• Deadline: January 15th, 2026
• Application requirements include:
  • Academic Degrees: institution, degree, and date of conferral
  • Postgraduate training and other positions held, including current position
  • State licenses
  • Curriculum Vitae: including a list of publications
  • Personal Statement: covering interest in the MacLean Clinical Ethics Fellowship, a research project proposal, and fellowship plan
  • Recommenders: two references, including name and position