Yale Sherwin B. Nuland Summer Institute in Bioethics

The annual Summer Institute in Bioethics is an intensive 7-week summer immersion for U.S. and international professionals and students from varying disciplines. The in-person program offers approximately 150-200 contact hours (depending on student preference).

Program objectives

  • Learn about a wide range of bioethics topics, principles and methods
  • Develop and present original bioethics research
  • Learn about careers in bioethics
  • Learn how to use bioethical reasoning in a variety of disciplines
  • Join a global, diverse bioethics community you’ll rely on for years to come

The Summer Institute in Bioethics begins with a remote, self-paced “Foundations in Bioethics” program from May 7-21, 2025. In-person participants are on campus from June 9th through July 18th.

Perspective from former Honors student who participated:

My name is Dana Shefet and I am an ECU Honors College and Brinkley-Lane Alumni c/o 2021. I wanted to reach out to you all about an incredible opportunity that was truly a highlight of my time in undergrad.

In the summer of 2019, I was fortunate enough to attend Yale University’s Sherwin B. Nuland 7-week intensive Summer Institute in Bioethics. I spent my days attending lectures given by esteemed faculty and professionals and participating in seminars with my peers from all over the globe. 

Bioethics is one of the most applicable and diverse fields I have ever been exposed to- philosophy, biology, law, medicine, research, humanities, and more all wrapped into one! That summer experience pushed me to think about the world around me in a different lens and I left inspired, experienced, and with a more thought-provoking mindset than I ever had before.

Following that summer, I was selected to present my summer research project at the UNESCO World Conference in Bioethics, Medical Ethics & Health Law.

Participating in this program was a huge talking point in my interview process applying to medical school and I still use the knowledge, resources, and connections I gained 5 years later. This experience was like no other and I hope that other Honors College students will consider applying for the summer experience of a lifetime!