Design and Implementation of an Interdisciplinary Course: “Communicable Disease Control and Prevention – Ethics and Laws”

Authors

• Pei-Chun Chan, The Division of Chronic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control, Taiwan; Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan;
• Chi-Tai Fang, Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
• Yu-Wei Hsieh, College of Law, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan

Document Type

Innovation

Abstract

This interdisciplinary course, Communicable Disease Control and Prevention: Ethics and Laws, brings together medical, legal, and public health perspectives to examine the ethical and regulatory challenges of infectious disease governance. Through lectures, case analyses, debates, and simulated public hearings, students–primarily from law, public health, medicine and social science–engage with issues such as isolation, quarantine, vaccination responsibilities, communicable diseases-related stigma, and broader health inequalities. The curriculum emphasizes translating academic knowledge into public reasoning and advocacy, using diverse outputs including oral presentations, debates, and infographic-based policy proposals. By engaging with legal professionals, judges, and aff ected communities, students broaden their perspectives beyond medicine, gaining fi rst-hand insights into how law, ethics, and public health intersect in practice, thereby cultivating both critical analysis and applied competence for future leadership in policy and law.

First Page

149

Last Page

157

Recommended Citation

Chan, Pei-Chun; Fang, Chi-Tai; and Hsieh, Yu-Wei (2025) "Design and Implementation of an Interdisciplinary Course: “Communicable Disease Control and Prevention – Ethics and Laws”," Journal of Medical Education: Vol. 29: Iss. 3, Article 5.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.6145/jme.202509_29(3).0005
Available at: https://jme.researchcommons.org/journal/vol29/iss3/5