Renee Shield
Clinical Associate Professor:
Community Health
Phone: +1 401 863 9958
Phone 2: +1 401 863 9219
Renee_Shield@Brown.EDU
Ph.D. Brown 1984
Brown University Research Profile Page for Renee Shield
Cultural and medical anthropology, geriatrics education and evaluation in medical school, ethnography of nursing homes, health care reform, ethical decision-making in long term care, work and retirement, rites of passage and reciprocity in nursing homes, end-of-life care, culture change nursing homes, electronic records in medical settings; North America
Interests
A cultural anthropologist, her ethnographic research has focused on health care for the elderly; work, (non)retirement, and wellbeing among elderly diamond traders; and ethical decision-making, rites of passage, and reciprocity in US nursing homes. Formerly the Director of Research and Education at the Jewish Home for the Aged in Rhode Island and the Director of Education at Aging 2000, she is currently participating in research in end-of-life care of nursing home residents at the Center for Gerontology and Health Care Research at Brown.
Teaching
UNIVERSITY TEACHING ROLES
Guest lecturer in BC 244, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009
Guest lecturer in Soc 1320, 2007, 2008
BI 361 Doctoring, Brown Medical School. 2005-2006
BI 371 Medical Interviewing, Brown Medical School. 2003-2005
Ph.D. and senior thesis advisor
Affinity Group co-leader, 1988-2003
"Alternative Medicine and Health Care," Program in Liberal Medical Education (PLME), Brown University, with Mark Brody, MD 1999-2003.
"Rethinking, Reorienting, and Reforming Medicine," Program in Liberal Medical Education (PLME), Brown University, with Barrie Weisman, MD, 1992 – 1996
"Issues of Identity and Culture in Aging," Program in Liberal Medical Education (PLME), Brown University, with James McCartney, MD, 1988-1992
Facilitator, Ethics Program, Brown University Program in Medicine. "Case Scenarios on Students' Professional Behavior." August 29, 1995.
University of Rhode Island, HDF 220. 1994. Department of Human Development and Family Studies. "Gerontology: Theory and Application."
University of Rhode Island, Spring semester, HDF 221, 1995. Department of Human Development and Family Studies. "Working With the Elderly."
Community Health Clerkship in the nursing home setting, Brown University Program in Medicine (with Henry Izeman, MD and James McCartney, MD). The Jewish Home, Providence, RI. 1987-1989.
Designed and taught Modes of Thought courses, "The Twilight Zone: Experiences of Aging in Cross-Cultural Perspective," Brown University, 1981-82, 1984.
Teaching Assistant, "Culture and Health," L. Newman, Brown University, 1978-1979
OTHER TEACHING ROLES
Preconference Workshop, Qualitative and Mixed Methods Research: Improving the Quality of Science and Addressing Health Issues of Diverse Populations. Gerontological Society of America, Annual Meeting. Co-organizer and leader. 2004, 2005.
Aging 2000, Providence, RI: developed and implemented research plan for Aging 2000 study; co-author of Aging 2000 report; created Strategy for Education; developed educational curriculum for consumer education on aging; organized and presented numerous conferences, workshops, discussions, and retreats. Talks, workshops, etc. for between 20 and 150+ people each time. 1989-1994.
Developed Interfaith Health Care Ministries annual conference, with IHCM board members and led workshop. 100-150 participants. Providence, RI, c.1992.
Developed and taught "Bioethics for Nurses in Nursing Homes," with Judith Mattea, RN, MSN and Alicebelle Rubotzky, RN. 40-50 students. The Jewish Home, Providence, RI, 1989.
Organized monthly Nursing Home Teaching Conferences; developed numerous workshops and panels for staff, nursing home residents, and community members on topics related to working and living in nursing homes, such as restraints, nursing home jargon, bereavement, transitions, culture and identity, professional support, and sexuality; Workshops held 8-20 participants each time. Conferences were approximately 30-100 each month. The Jewish Home, Providence, RI 1987-1989.
Organized and ran interdisciplinary ongoing seminar on design issues in nursing homes. Fifteen participants of varied fields from nursing homes, hospitals, RISD, Brown, and URI met monthly to discuss and design better environments for the elderly. Held at the Jewish Home, Providence, RI, 1988-1989.
Organized anniversary conference with Patricia Dwyer and Henry Izeman, MD, "Decisions at the End of Life: The Limitations of Treatment." 100-150 participants. The Jewish Home, Providence, RI May, 1988.