Current Student reflects on her journey through the Master of Arts in Bioethics

Jessie Cheng, an online student who recently completed her coursework for the Spring 2025 semester in the Master of Bioethics program at Ohio State, is gearing up to begin her thesis work this fall. Her reflections on the Master of Arts in Bioethics program are nothing short of passionate. 

“I have to say I love this program. I’m like a walking advertisement for the program,” she shares. “I submitted my last paper, and I literally submitted it, closed my computer and just started sobbing. I have just had the best experience. I’ve loved the professors. I’ve loved the coursework, all of it.” 

Her heartfelt words capture the transformative impact of the program and the deep sense of purpose it has given her as she prepares to take the next step in her bioethics journey. 

Jessie’s background 

Jessie brings a unique blend of nursing expertise and ministry experience to her work. With over two decades as a registered nurse, her career has spanned critical care, oncology, and high-level disaster response across the globe.  

As she considered the next step in her career, she was seeking something that would allow for her to work-from-home and also something that would utilize her medical knowledge. She was able to transition into a legal nurse consulting role but soon realized her knowledge of bioethics was lacking. 

“All of my cases are basically medical ethical cases. And as I was working these cases, I was realizing that I have the medical knowledge, but I was ill-equipped in the ethical aspect.” 

Pursuing a Master’s in Bioethics 

Jessie’s experience handling complex medical cases sparked a desire to deepen her understanding of the ethical issues intertwined with healthcare. That realization led her to research the best bioethics master’s programs. 

“I discovered bioethics and very quickly I knew I wanted to get my master’s,” she shared. “I applied to several schools, got accepted to all of them. But something about OSU just felt right. I really can’t explain it.”  

Affordability also played a key role in her decision. As a single mother caring for a medically dependent child, she needed a program that was both flexible and financially accessible.  

“One of the other programs I got accepted for was $100,000 [in tuition]. OSU is very affordable.”  

Since enrolling, Jessie has found the curriculum both thought-provoking and deeply relevant to her past experiences. One course stood out:  

“I did really like Dr. O’Mathúna, who teaches the disaster response and humanitarian crises course… It was just so amazing to think back to all the disasters that I responded to and now look at it through an ethical perspective.” 

Founding a student journal club 

In addition to her coursework, Jessie has made a lasting impact by launching a journal club within the program. Recognizing a desire for deeper connection in an asynchronous online environment, she took the initiative to create space for meaningful dialogue. 

“Some grad programs have something called Journal Club, where you get together once a month. You read a paper or article in advance, and then you discuss it,” she shared. 

With support from faculty, Jessie established an optional monthly club where students and faculty are welcome to gather virtually to discuss a relevant article. The journal club is intended to be a space for rich academic conversations, sometimes even prompting follow-up discussions with faculty members outside of class.  

“One of the professors that attended gave me some new insight into a particular topic, and we followed up with a phone conversation a couple weeks later. It was really helpful for me,” Cheng shared. 

Her goal is to continue the journal club through graduation and eventually “pass the torch” to future students.  

“When we have the chance to sit down face- to- face and have actual dialogue, our perspectives are broadened,” she said. 

What can you do with a Masters in Bioethics? Jessie’s future goals 

As Jessie has progressed through the program, she has fallen in love with the field of bioethics and found herself wondering, “What kind of jobs can you get with a master’s in bioethics?” Since beginning her graduate program, her career goals have evolved alongside her studies. Cheng has considered applying her bioethics knowledge to a clinical ethicist role in a hospital.  

“I loved clinical ethics, and it made me think that I might land in clinical ethics at a hospital,” she shared. “A clinical ethicist, who usually works for the hospital, comes in, evaluates the facts, talks to the various stakeholders, and tries to determine what is ethical and what is not in the situation,” she explained. 

“I came out wanting to do something completely different from what I do now… I don’t have a desire to continue legal nurse consulting. I have a desire to work in the field of bioethics in some capacity.” 

Though her academic chapter isn’t fully closed, she plans to do research over the summer and write her thesis in the fall, Jessie’s enthusiasm for Ohio State’s Bioethics program is clear. 

“I started in autumn of 2023, and I thought it would take five years to finish. I did my coursework in two years. It’s just been an incredible experience.” 

Ready to take your next career step in bioethics? Request more information  about the online Master of Arts in Bioethics program today.