Overview
Background
My research interests cover a number of areas within history and philosophy of science and medicine, moral psychology, bioethics and medical ethics, health law, and medical education, with particular interests in philosophy of psychiatry, end-of-life care and decisions, reproductive medicine, medical professionalism, research ethics, evidence-based medicine and complementary medicine.
Areas of particular interest include:
- Conceptual research in bioethical methodology, particularly principlism and global bioethics
- Ethical aspects of the doctor-patient relationship
- End-of-life issues including euthanasia, mandatory psychiatric review of requests for assisted death, psychiatric medicalisation, withdrawal of treatment, causation of death, competence determination, end-of-life policy-making
- Reproductive issues including prenatal testing, posthumous conception and embryo research
- Human research ethics
- Changes in medical negligence and tort law
- Evidence-based medicine: implications for medical ethics and relations to clinical judgement
- Complementary and alternative medicine: scientific and ethical status, regulation, negligence, integration with orthodox medicine
- Education in medical ethics, medical and health law, professionalism, medical humanities
- Assessment of personal and professional behaviour of medical students
- Statutory regulation of clinical competence and professional conduct
Availability
- Emeritus Professor Malcolm Parker is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery and Medical Science, The University of Queensland
- Masters (Coursework), University of New England Australia
- Masters (Coursework), University of Melbourne
- Doctoral Diploma of Medicine, The University of Queensland
Research interests
-
List of interests
• Conceptual research in bioethical methodology, particularly principlism and global bioethics • Ethical aspects of the doctor-patient relationship • End-of-life issues including euthanasia, mandatory psychiatric review of requests for assisted death, psychiatric medicalisation, withdrawal of treatment, causation of death, competence determination, end-of-life policy-making • Reproductive issues including prenatal testing, posthumous conception and embryo research • Human research ethics • Changes in medical negligence and tort law • Evidence-based medicine: implications for medical ethics and relations to clinical judgement • Complementary and alternative medicine: scientific and ethical status, regulation, negligence, integration with orthodox medicine • Education in medical ethics, medical and health law, professionalism, medical humanities • Assessment of personal and professional behaviour of medical students • Statutory regulation of clinical competence and professional conduct
Research impacts
My research has had direct or indirect impact in the following areas:
- Management of impaired doctors and medical students - leader in development of curriculum, teaching and assessment of medical professionalism and student behaviour, via publications, research-based developments at UQ and invited national and international contributions.
- Medical education - improving and expanding medical ethics and law education in Australia, via publication and research-based development of curricum, teaching and assessment.
- Human research ethics - broadening the remit of the National Statement on Research Involving Humans beyond the medical categories, via collaborative contributions to the research literature.
Works
Search Professor Malcolm Parker’s works on UQ eSpace
2016
Journal Article
Reasons doctors provide futile treatment at the end of life: a qualitative study
Willmot, Lindy, White, Benjamin, Gallois, Cindy, Parker, Malcolm, Graves, Nicholas, Winch, Sarah, Callaway, Leonie Kaye, Shepherd, Nicole and Close, Eliana (2016). Reasons doctors provide futile treatment at the end of life: a qualitative study. Journal of Medical Ethics, 42 (8), 496-503. doi: 10.1136/medethics-2016-103370
2016
Journal Article
Doctors’ perspectives on law and life-sustaining treatment: Survey design and recruitment strategies for a challenging cohort
Willmott, Lindy, White, Ben, Cartwright, Colleen, Parker, Malcolm, Williams, Gail and Neller, Penny (2016). Doctors’ perspectives on law and life-sustaining treatment: Survey design and recruitment strategies for a challenging cohort. Progress in Palliative Care, 24 (4), 213-220. doi: 10.1080/09699260.2015.1133031
2016
Journal Article
Getting the balance right: conceptual considerations concerning legal capacity and supported decision-making
Parker, Malcolm (2016). Getting the balance right: conceptual considerations concerning legal capacity and supported decision-making. Journal of Bioethical Inquiry, 13 (3), 381-393. doi: 10.1007/s11673-016-9727-z
2016
Journal Article
Knowledge of the law about withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining treatment by intensivists and other specialists
White, Ben, Willmott, Lindy, Cartwright, Colleen, Parker, Malcolm H. and Williams, Gail (2016). Knowledge of the law about withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining treatment by intensivists and other specialists. Critical Care and Resuscitation, 18 (2), 109-115.
2016
Journal Article
What does “futility” mean? An empirical study of doctors’ perceptions
White, Ben, Willmott, Lindy, Close, Eliana, Shepherd, Nicole, Gallois, Cindy, Parker, Malcolm H., Winch, Sarah, Graves, Nicholas and Callaway, Leonie K. (2016). What does “futility” mean? An empirical study of doctors’ perceptions. Medical Journal of Australia, 204 (8), 318.e1-318.e5. doi: 10.5694/mja15.01103
2016
Journal Article
Palliative care and other physicians' knowledge, attitudes and practice relating to the law on withholding/withdrawing life-sustaining treatment: survey results
Cartwright, Colleen Maria, White, Ben P., Willmott, Lindy, Williams, Gail and Parker, Malcolm Holbrook (2016). Palliative care and other physicians' knowledge, attitudes and practice relating to the law on withholding/withdrawing life-sustaining treatment: survey results. Palliative Medicine, 30 (2), 171-179. doi: 10.1177/0269216315587996
2016
Conference Publication
'Compassion...the first emotion ditched when I am busy'
Davin, Lorna, Thistlethwaite, Jill, Emma Bartle, Eley, Diann (Stover) and Parker, Malcolm (2016). 'Compassion...the first emotion ditched when I am busy'. Australian and New Zealand Association for Health Professional Education (ANZAHPE) 2016 conference, Perth, Australia, 19-23 March 2016.
2016
Journal Article
The knowledge and practice of doctors in relation to the law that governs withholding and withdrawing life-sustaining treatment from adults who lack capacity
White, Ben, Willmott, Lindy, Cartwright, Colleen, Parker, Malcolm and Williams, Gail (2016). The knowledge and practice of doctors in relation to the law that governs withholding and withdrawing life-sustaining treatment from adults who lack capacity. Journal of Law and Medicine, 24 (2), 356-370.
2016
Journal Article
Futility and the Law: Knowledge, practice and attitudes of doctors in end of life care
Willmott, Lindy, White, Ben, Close, Eliana, Gallois, Cindy, Parker, Malcolm, Graves, Nicholas, Winch, Sarah, Calloway, Leonie and Shepherd, Nicole (2016). Futility and the Law: Knowledge, practice and attitudes of doctors in end of life care. QUT Law Review, 16 (1), 54-75. doi: 10.5204/qutlr.v16i1.622
2015
Other Outputs
Withholding and withdrawing life-sustaining medical treatment from adults who lack capacity: the role of law in medical practice. Final Report
White, B., Willmott, L., Cartwright, C., Parker, M. and Williams, G. (2015). Withholding and withdrawing life-sustaining medical treatment from adults who lack capacity: the role of law in medical practice. Final Report.
2015
Journal Article
Medical education and law: withholding/withdrawing treatment from adults without capacity
Parker, M., Willmott, L., White, B., Williams, G. and Cartwright, C. (2015). Medical education and law: withholding/withdrawing treatment from adults without capacity. Internal Medicine Journal, 45 (6), 634-640. doi: 10.1111/imj.12759
2015
Journal Article
Clayton's compromises and the assisted dying debate
Parker, Malcolm (2015). Clayton's compromises and the assisted dying debate. Journal of Law and Medicine, 22 (3), 526-533.
2015
Journal Article
RE: Doctors’ knowledge of the law on withholding and withdrawing lifesustaining medical treatment
White, Ben, Willmott, Lindy, Cartwright, Colleen, Parker, Malcolm H. and Williams, Gail (2015). RE: Doctors’ knowledge of the law on withholding and withdrawing lifesustaining medical treatment. Medical Journal of Australia, 202 (2), 77-77. doi: 10.5694/mja14.01363
2015
Other Outputs
Feasibility of Establishing a HREC Credentialing System for Multi-site Clinical Trials in Australia
Stepanov, N ., Crowden, Andrew, Jenkins-Marsh, Sue and Parker, Malcolm (2015). Feasibility of Establishing a HREC Credentialing System for Multi-site Clinical Trials in Australia.
2015
Journal Article
Never regard yourself as already so thoroughly informed: The withdrawal of its invitation to Rodney Syme to address its 2015 Congress by the Royal Australasian College of Physicians
Parker, Malcolm, Kerridge, Ian and Komesaroff, Paul (2015). Never regard yourself as already so thoroughly informed: The withdrawal of its invitation to Rodney Syme to address its 2015 Congress by the Royal Australasian College of Physicians. Journal of Law and Medicine, 23 (1), 50-54.
2015
Conference Publication
When you don’t like your patient or think they are undeserving – the triage of compassionate care
Davin, Lorna, Thistlethwaite, Jill, Bartle, Emma, Eley, Diann (Stover) and Parker, Malcolm (2015). When you don’t like your patient or think they are undeserving – the triage of compassionate care. Australian and New Zealand Association for Health Professional Education (ANZAHPE) 2015 conference, Newcastle, Australia, 29 - 31 March 2015.
2015
Journal Article
Futile Treatment in Hospital: Doctors’ Intergroup Language
Gallois, Cindy, Wilmott, Lindy, White, Ben, Winch, Sarah, Parker, Malcolm, Graves, Nicholas, Shepherd, Nicole and Close, Eliana (2015). Futile Treatment in Hospital: Doctors’ Intergroup Language. Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 34 (6), 657-671. doi: 10.1177/0261927X15586430
2015
Conference Publication
An exploration of the acceptability, and educational impact of the GAMSAT
Eley, Diann (Stover), Bartle, Emma, Casey, Mavourneen, Kumar, Koshila, Roberts, Chris and Parker, Malcolm (2015). An exploration of the acceptability, and educational impact of the GAMSAT. Australian and New Zealand Association for Health Professional Education (ANZAHPE) 2015 conference, Newcastle, Australia, 29 - 31 March 2015.
2014
Journal Article
Medical leadership is the new black: or is it?
Jorm, Christine and Parker, Malcolm (2014). Medical leadership is the new black: or is it?. Australian Health Review, 39 (2), 217-219. doi: 10.1071/AH14013
2014
Other Outputs
Extending GAMSAT. Enhancing scope and validity. Final Report
Eley, D., Casey, M., Parker, M., Tedman, R., Broadley, S. and Wilkinson, D. (2014). Extending GAMSAT. Enhancing scope and validity. Final Report. University of Melbourne.
Funding
Supervision
Availability
- Emeritus Professor Malcolm Parker is:
- Available for supervision
Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.
Supervision history
Completed supervision
-
2021
Doctor Philosophy
General practice trainee help-seeking, and supervisor input, during trainee consultations with patients
Principal Advisor
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2018
Doctor Philosophy
Capacity and Treatment Refusal: How Law Should Deal with the Case of Anorexia Nervosa
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Tamara Walsh
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2016
Doctor Philosophy
Unpacking Affective Learning: A Longitudinal, Qualitative Study Exploring How Junior Doctors Learn To Be Compassionate Through Practice.
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Di Eley, Dr Emma Bartle
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2014
Doctor Philosophy
Contested Concepts: The Salience of Metaphysics to Bioethical Debate.
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor William Grey
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2013
Doctor Philosophy
Measuring Professional Behaviour of Medical Students, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre (UKMMC)
Associate Advisor
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2009
Doctor Philosophy
A contextual approach for ethical analysis in clinical genetics
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor William Grey
Media
Enquiries
Contact Emeritus Professor Malcolm Parker directly for media enquiries about:
- Bioethics
- Biology and ethics
- Doctors - professional development
- Education - medicine
- Ethics - biology
- Ethics - medical
- Ethics and biology
- Health law
- History of medicine
- Law - health
- Law - medical
- Medical education
- Medical ethics
- Medical history
- Medical law
- Medicine - philosophy of
- Philosophy and medicine
- Professional development - medicine
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