Doctor, Will You Pray for Me?: Explorations Across Diverse Beliefs

What existential, spiritual and religious challenges health care providers, patients and families from varied backgrounds confront today, and who assists them? This interactive panel will explore these challenges and hospital chaplains increasingly assist. The panel will examine recent research on these topics, and perspectives from Christian, Jewish and Muslim chaplains.

Speaker and Moderator

Robert Klitzman, MD
Professor of Psychiatry
Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons
Joseph Mailman School of Public Health

Robert Klitzman, MD, is a professor of psychiatry at the College of Physicians and Surgeons and the Joseph Mailman School of Public Health, and the Program Director of the Master of Science in Bioethics at Columbia University. He co-founded and for five years co-directed the Columbia University Center for Bioethics, and directed the Ethics and Policy Core of the HIV Center for 10 years.

He has published over 180 scientific journal articles, nine books, and numerous chapters on critical issues in bioethics including genetics, neuroethics, HIV prevention, research ethics, and doctor-patient relationships.

Klitzman has received numerous awards for his work, including fellowships from the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation, the Russell Sage Foundation, the Commonwealth Fund, the Aaron Diamond Foundation, and the Rockefeller Foundation. He is a member of the Empire State Stem Cell Commission and served on the U.S. Department of Defense’s Research Ethics Advisory Panel. He is a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and a regular contributor to the New York Times and CNN.

Panelists

Rabbi Mychal B. Springer

Manager of Clinical Pastoral Education at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. 
BA in Judaic & Religious Studies, Yale (magna cum laude), MA in Judaic Studies, JTS, Doctor of Divinity, JTS, Certified Jewish chaplain, Neshama: Association of Jewish Chaplains, Adjunct instructor in Pastoral Care & Counseling, JTS.

Reverend Molly O’Neil Frank

Reverend Molly O’Neil Frank is the staff palliative care chaplain at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and serves on the ethics committees at both Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and New York Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center. 
BA in English and Religion, Wesleyan University, M.Div., Union Theological Seminary, MA in Ministry, General Theological Seminary.

Brian Foote

Palliative Care Chaplain Fellow serving the inpatient and outpatient palliative care community at NYP/Weill Cornell. 
MTS, Harvard Divinity School, Former lecturer, Program in Religion, Hunter College, Practitioner in the Vajrayana Buddhist tradition.

More panelists to be announced!