At Indiana University School of Medicine, the Ethics, Equity and Justice scholarly concentration equips medical students with the foundational skills to navigate the complex moral dimensions of modern medicine. This concentration helps future physicians distinguish between morally beneficial and morally troubling clinical practices, training them to lead change toward a more just health care system.
Fast facts about the concentration
Location: South Bend
Co-Directors: Mark Fox, MD, PhD, MPH and Joseph Kotva, PhD
Meet the co-directors
The Ethics, Equity and Justice scholarly concentration is co-directed by Mark D. Fox, MD, PhD, MPH, and Joe Kotva, PhD.
Fox is a physician, ethicist, public health professional and Med/Peds physician specializing in preventive cardiology. With a PhD in religion, ethics and society, his clinical and scholarly work focuses on health disparities, cardiovascular risk reduction in uninsured adults and ethical policy issues surrounding organ transplantation.
Kotva holds a PhD in theological ethics and brings decades of experience as an urban pastor, community volunteer and medical ethics educator. His work emphasizes virtue ethics, narrative and the social determinants of health that impact patient well-being outside the clinic.
What students can expect
Based on the IU School of Medicine—South Bend campus, this concentration integrates traditional medical ethics — such as end-of-life decisions, scarce resource allocation and novel technologies — with broader structural issues of social justice and equity. Students gain access to an expansive network of mentors and scholars from IU School of Medicine, the University of Notre Dame and key community organizations.
Is this the right fit?
This concentration is ideal for students who recognize that ethics is relevant to all medical specialties — far beyond headline-grabbing moral dilemmas — and who:
- Wrestle with our society’s enormous social and health inequities.
- Recognize that the practices of medicine are morally formative of physicians and patients alike, often in worrisome directions.
- Value theological and philosophical moral reflection on their future profession, including everyday and morally puzzling activities.
- Want to serve on ethics committees.
Examples of student research
Students in the Ethics, Equity and Justice scholarly concentration have completed impactful scholarly projects.
Jackson Stone: Stone JF, Bales JR, Harris JD, Harper CE, Scott JJ, Kotva JJ, Lassen DS. Client and Pantry Factors Influencing Transportation-Related Barriers Among Users of Food Pantries: A Cross-Sectional Analysis. Foods. 2025 Oct 28;14(21):3673. doi: 10.3390/ foods14213673. PMID: 41227645; PMCID: PMC12609604
Exploring Motivations for a Career in Geriatric Medicine: a qualitative study of geriatric medicine fellows and recent geriatric medicine fellowship graduates
The Problem with Exceptions: A Case of Abortion in Stage III CKD
Comparing a Hospital Policy About ER Engagement with Law Enforcement with the Parallel Police Policy About Such Engagement
Healthcare Experiences of Formerly Incarcerated People in Indiana
