The largest network of practicing healthcare ethicists in Canada

We are the academic home of the Clinical, Organizational, and Research Ethics (CORE) Network. The CORE Network membership is made up of practicing healthcare ethicists from U of T partner health institutions.

The Network’s purpose is to provide a community of practice and scholarship for the mutual support of its members. The CORE Network facilitates peer support and the exchange of ideas – including discussion and feedback about cases and projects – as well as shared learning and resource exchanges.

The Network’s activities include:

• Regular meetings open to all members (e.g., case conferences, guest speakers, continuing professional development, work-in-progress, journal club, reflective practice)
• Dissemination of relevant information and feedback among members via mechanisms such as the CORE listserv, email, and telephone
• Support for the formation and coordination of CORE Network working groups or interest groups

CORE Network and COVID-19

In order to achieve the purpose of mutual support among healthcare ethicists during the COVID-19 pandemic, the CORE Network established the CORE COVID-19 Community of Practice (CoP) in March 2020. Membership in this special community of practice was opened to all practicing healthcare ethicists in Ontario (with occasional participation from healthcare ethicists in other provinces as well). The CORE COVID-19 CoP has been a venue where healthcare ethicists can share challenges and information, learn about emerging issues and policy developments, and improve their individual and collective capacity to respond to challenges specific to the pandemic. Over 30 meetings of the full community have taken place between March 2020 and March 2021. In addition, there have been meetings of ad-hoc groups spun off from the main CoP to address issues such as homelessness, long-term care, visitor restrictions, mental health, moral distress, the duty to provide care, and workplace accommodations. Members have contributed to the pandemic response in their home hospitals as well as informing pandemic response at regional and provincial levels.

CORE Network Co-chairs

Any questions around the CORE Network’s activities or membership can be sent to the co-chairs:

Jamie Robertson, Clinical Ethicist, Unity Health Toronto
jamie.robertson@unityhealth.to

Ruby Shanker, Bioethicist, University Health Network
ruby.shanker@uhn.ca

Please note: The CORE Network does not provide ethics consultation.