DoD MEDICAL ETHICS CENTER
The DoD Medical Ethics Center (DMEC) is charged with the development, evaluation and implementation of a systematic Department of Defense Medical Ethics Program (DoDMEP) across the entire Military Health System (MHS)/DoD. We are also integrated into the USU’s educational curriculum and associated programs focused on developing and enhancing the professional military medical leadership education of USU Students.
We serve as the national and international lead in military medical ethics for all health care providers in the MHS/DoD, as outlined in DoDI 6025.27, Section 2.3(a). In addition and internal to USU, we coordinate our tasks in military medical ethics with USU’s military medical leadership and professional development curriculum. This effort is dedicated to ensuring that USU students develop as ethical practitioners and leaders at all levels of responsibility in the nation’s uniformed health services.
We are developing a plan for MHS-wide medical ethics training. We will also create and maintain a DoD Health Care Ethics Portal at USU. The DMEC Portal will serve as a centralized resource for medical ethics. It will also be capable of receiving inquiries and requests for medical ethics consultation from the entire MHS. The Portal will facilitate access to relevant policies, guidance and laws, sources of education and training, and pertinent codes of ethics.
We will provide immense benefit to the MHS and the DoD health care professionals as they navigate the medical ethical challenges they face caring for the United States military wherever they serve.
LEADERSHIP
Frederick C. Lough, MD - Director
Joshua Girton, JD, LLM, MBA - Deputy Director
Polyxeni Combs, MS - Management and Program Analyst
Joseph Procaccino, Jr., JD, MFS - Legal Advisor
Christine Bader, PhD, RN - Special Assistant to the Dean
James Giordano, PhD, MPhil - Bioethicist
Megan Applewhite, MD, MA - Bioethicist
CONTACT INFORMATION
POLYXENI COMBS, MS
Management & Program Analyst
polyxeni.combs@usuhs.edu
Resources
- A Code of Ethics for Military Medicine
- Approach to Ethics Consults
- COVID-19 - DMEC Bioethics Guidance - Reopening the MHS
- DMEC Bioethics Guidance on the COVID-19 Pandemic
- DMEC Charter
- DoD Instruction 6025.27- Medical Ethics in the Military Health System
- Ethical Guidelines and Practices for U.S. Military Medical Professionals
- Timeline of Landmark Events in Bioethics
- DMEC App Flier
- Military Medical Ethics in the New Era of Symmetrical Conflict