Cindy McCarthy, DHCE, MA, NREMT, Pitt Public Health associate professor of human genetics, has been named the inaugural Director of Bioethics Education for Undergraduates within the Pitt Institute for Bioethics.
In this role, McCarthy—who also serves as director of the bioethics certificate conferred by the School of Public Health—will develop and implement bioethics educational initiatives for undergraduate students, foster mentor relationships between undergraduates and Pitt faculty and advise students interested in bioethics research.
“It is vital that we sensitize pre-health and public health undergraduates to ethical issues while they still have the space for introspective thought,” said McCarthy. “My goal is to build multiple avenues of engagement—from the Bioethics Bowl to our 18-credit certificate—so that every student has the opportunity to develop the ethical foundation they need before they enter the field.”
“Cindy’s appointment is a pivotal step in expanding the reach of the Institute,” said Douglas White, director of the Pitt Institute for Bioethics and associate dean for bioethics and humanism in medicine. “Her deep commitment to student mentorship and her expertise in the field make her the ideal person to bridge the gap between undergraduate curiosity and professional bioethical practice.”
McCarthy has been teaching bioethics at Pitt since 2009. In addition to her faculty role in Pitt Public Health, she also serves as an ethics facilitator for the Clinical and Translational Science Institute, a faculty member for the Consortium Ethics Program and an Electus Faculty Fellow at the David C. Frederick Honors College. Her research interests include medical chaperones, bioethics education for undergraduates and AI in medicine.
Beyond the classroom, McCarthy is the founder and faculty advisor for the Ethics in Action Seminar Series and coach of the Pitt National Bioethics Bowl Team, which recently earned a second-place finish.
“The School of Public Health is committed to cultivating a workforce that views health through a lens of health for all and ethics is a prerequisite to achieving this goal,” said Maureen Lichtveld, MD, MPH, dean of Pitt Public Health. “By formalizing this leadership role, we are ensuring that bioethics remains a cornerstone of a Pitt education, preparing our students to lead with both intellect and integrity.”
For McCarthy, the new title is less about changing her daily tasks and more about amplifying the reach of the discipline.
“This platform allows for additional collaborations that might not have otherwise existed, ensuring we can offer students unique, high-level opportunities that they simply won't find elsewhere,” she said.
--Ava Dzurenda