James Dwyer

James Dwyer, PhD, is Professor of Bioethics and Humanities. He teaches required ethics courses in both the preclinical and clinical years. He also teaches elective courses on physicians and social responsibility, and he supervises the Nightingale scholars in the third year.

In addition to teaching at Upstate Medical University, Dr. Dwyer often lectures and teaches abroad. In recent years, he has lectured in Canada, Mexico, Switzerland, Pakistan, and Taiwan. In 2011-2012, he received a Fulbright Scholar Grant to teach at the College of Medicine at National Taiwan University.

His written work focuses on broad issues about social justice, ethical responsibility, and ethics education. His writings have appeared in Academic Medicine, Bioethics, Hastings Center Report, Public Health Ethics, and other journals. He always tries to make his intellectual work of practical value, and his practical work of intellectual interest.

Dr. Dwyer, who serves on the Ethics Consult Service, may be reached at 315.464.8455 or at dwyerja@upstate.edu.

Selected Publications

Dwyer J. and Faber-Langendoen K. Speaking up: an ethical action exercise. Academic Medicine. 2018; 93(4):602-605

Dwyer J. On taking responsibility for undocumented migrants. Public Health Ethics. 2015;8(2):139-147

Dwyer J. The Gaia commission: climate change and moral responsibility. Bioéthique Online. 2014.11.25, 1-5.

Dwyer J. On flying to ethics conferences: Climate change and moral responsiveness. International Journal of Feminist Approaches to Bioethics. 2013;6(1): 1-18. 

Dwyer J. Teaching global health ethics. In Global Health Ethics, edited by S. Benatar and G. Brock (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2011): 319-328. 

Dwyer J. How to connect bioethics and environmental ethics: health, sustainability, and justice. Bioethics.  2009;23(9): 497-502. 

Dwyer J, Tsai D. Developing the duty to treat: HIV, SARS, and the next epidemic. Journal of Medical Ethics. 2008;34:7-10. 

Dwyer J. What's wrong with the global migration of health care professionals? Individual rights and international justice. Hastings Center Report. 2007;37(5):36-43. 

Dwyer J. Global health and justice. Bioethics. 2005;19:460-475. 

Dwyer J. Part of my liver. Transplantation. 2003;76:1266-1267. 

Dwyer J. Babel, justice, and democracy: reflections on a shortage of interpreters at a public hospital. Hastings Center Report. 2001;31(2):31-36. 

Dwyer J. Medicine and the arts: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. Academic Medicine. 1999;74:804-805. Reprinted in Ten years of Medicine and the Arts.

Dwyer J. Primum non tacere: an ethics of speaking up. Hastings Center Report. 1994;24(1):13-18.