The Bridge Between Bioethics and Medical Practice

This book provides insights into dynamic and complex interrelationships between professionalism and medical practice. It does so by looking into the most relevant and recent theoretical and practical frameworks and by systematizing and integrating extensive and growing literature on medical professionalism. Through honest and prudent contributions from very diverse backgrounds and contexts, this book provides an understanding of medical professionalism derived from a broader historical and cultural context in order to contribute to everyday professional life and practice – the very place of its existence. The book presents the conflicting and sometimes irreconcilable demands and challenges physicians face in everyday practice. A better understanding of these fundamental issues is the only way for medicine to maintain and preserve its unique morality, the same one that enabled its existence in the first place.

The book is relevant for everyone immersed and interested in the subject of medical professionalism as a resource, which may ease or guide them through the complexities of issues at hand. It will also contribute to the ongoing debate on medical professionalism, medical ethics, bioethics, and professionalism and ethics in general.

Marko Ćurkovic, M.D., Ph.D. (Zagreb, 1986) is a post-doctoral fellow at the Department of Medical Ethics, School of Medicine of the University of Zagreb. Dr. Ćurkovic is also serving as a deputy director for health care quality at the University Psychiatric Hospital Vrapče in Zagreb, Croatia. As a consultant psychiatrist, dr. Ćurkovic is working at the Department of diagnostics and intensive care and the Department for first psychoses. He is also a founder and current director of the first telepsychiatric center in the Republic of Croatia. Dr. Ćurkovic obtained his medical degree (M.D.) from the School of Medicine, the University of Zagreb, in 2010, and his doctoral degree (Ph.D.) from the same institution in 2017. The title of his Ph.D. thesis is "Development of an instrument for assessing professional relationships among hospital physicians," and Ana Borovečki was his mentor. Dr. Ćurkovic is currently also serving as the president of the Section of young psychiatrists of theCroatian Psychiatric Association. He published more than 40 scientific papers, took part (as a lecturer, presenter, or organizer) in numerous domestic and international scientific and professional conferences and projects, and contributed to almost ten book chapters. Areas of special academic, scientific, and professional interest of dr. Ćurkovic are medical ethics, or more specifically professional medical ethics, ethics and methodology of biomedical research, and psychiatry ethics. Furthermore, dr. Ćurkovic is involved in researching the possibilities for applying new methods and modalities of treatment and recovery for persons with mental health disorders and, more generally, the organization of the health care systems. Dr. Ćurkovic is (happily) married to a colleague Danijela, and has four children (namely: Pavla, Petar, Simun, and Toma).

Ana Borovečki, M.D., B.A. Ph.D., MPH (Zagreb, 1973) is an Associate professor at Andrija Stampar, School of Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb. Prof. Borovečki holds an M.D. degree from the School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, and a bachelor's degree in philosophy and comparative literature from the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb. In 2004, she received a European Master of Bioethics degree from the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium. Her doctoral degree was obtained from Radboud University in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, in 2007. Prof. Borovečki is trained in clinical pharmacology and toxicology and has a Master in Public Health degree from School of Medicine, University of Zagreb. She is assistant to the director of Andrija Stampar School of Public Health, School of Medicine, the University of Zagreb in charge of scientific cooperation and the chair of the Department of Social Medicine and Organization of Health Care. In addition, she is a member of the CEPAMET, Center for Palliative Medicine, Medical Ethics and Communication Skills of the School of Medicine, University of Zagreb. Prof. Borovečki is President-Elect and member of the Board of the European Society for the Philosophy of Medicine and Healthcare (ESPMH) and a corresponding member of the Pontifical Academy of Life (PAV). Areas of special academic, scientific, and professional interest of Prof. Borovečki are medical ethics, or more specifically clinical ethics and professional medical ethics, research ethics and ethics in science, and public health ethics. She is the editor, author, or co-author of several university textbooks, book chapters, books, and a significant number of scientific papers.