Hospital alliance raises training concerns

By BETH YOUNG
Collegian Staff Writer

The alliance between Holy Spirit Hospital and the University's Hershey Medical Center has raised ethical questions concerning the possible influence of religious beliefs on abortion training provided to medical students.

The College of Medicine provides abortion training to students, offering obstetrics and gynecology residents an elective period in which they can opt to undergo abortion training.

All abortion training is voluntary, said Dr. Rodrigue Mortel, professor and chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Under a guideline recently established by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, all medical schools must require abortion training for ob/gyn residents. Residents with religious or moral objections can opt not to take the training.

Despite this option, the Catholic Health Association -- of which Holy Spirit is a member -- is protesting the new rule, creating a possible conflict of interest between Holy Spirit and the medical center. Holy Spirit's religious beliefs do not coincide with certain aspects of medical research and training, such as abortion.

As of now, the hospital does not know how it would reconcile its Catholic faith with being allied with a state institution that provides abortion training, said Tamara Reisinger, director of public relations for Holy Spirit.

"We do not have an answer yet. It's under study," she said.

Because of the possible ethical problems, some students are wary of the alliance.

"The alliance is good in that if you have another hospital, there is going to be more selection open to students, more places where people can get experience, but they are going to have to be very, very careful that the church doesn't prescribe what the medical students can learn," said Sarah Duncan (senior-biology), a premedicine ob/gyn student.

But officials at the College of Medicine insist that the collaboration will cause no difficulties.

"I don't see why there should be any problems," Dr. Mortel said. Steve Bortner, manager of public information for the College of Medicine, also said he does not expect any conflicts.

The two hospitals have formed a committee to address possible ethical issues, Reisinger said.

A group of "ethicists" from the Harrisburg Diocese, along with representatives of other dioceses outside the Harrisburg area, has been working on ethical issues related to the collaboration of the medical center and Holy Spirit and Carlisle hospitals, she said. Abortion training will be one of the issues discussed.