Eric Juengst Featured on UNC's Real Doctors, Real People

Eric Juengst, PhD, directs the UNC Center for Bioethics. He also makes armor. Yep, the kind knights would wear while protecting their king's domain.

This month's video is different, and I think you'll really like it. First, unlike most of our previous profiles to date, Eric Juengst, is not a medical doctor. Instead, he holds a PhD.

The UNC Center for Bioethics of which Dr. Juengst is director, has an ethics consultation service - a 24/7 service available for professionals and patients in the hospital to request advice or conversation about a hard choice they need to make. In addition, the Center works with the North Carolina Translational & Clinical Sciences Institute to provide a research ethics forum for laboratory scientists and those running clinical trials who have ethical questions of their own. To use Juengst's words, "We can do so much these days [with regards to medicine], that it inevitably raises questions about what we should do in particular situations."

The second reason this month's profile is very different, is that while his role at UNC is a serious one, you could say his hobby is a bit more playful, full of child-like fantasy and adventure. After all, Dr. Juengst makes armor. Yep, the kind knights would wear while protecting their king's domain. I won't tell you too much before you watch the video, but let's just say his future grandkids will have a blast going to grandpa's house!

One other interesting note to mention, co-producer Stephen L. Garrett and I are alums from The University of the South, Sewanee (we met in a video production class, actually) and were pleasantly surprised to find out during Dr. Juengst's interview that he is a Sewanee graduate as well!

So put away your serious face and let your inner child bring on a smile as you watch this month's real doctors, real people video.