The Bridge Between Bioethics and Medical Practice

Marko Curkovic, M.D., Ph.D. (Zagreb, 1986) is a post-doctoral fellow at the Department of Medical Ethics, School of Medicine of the University of Zagreb. Dr. Curkovic is also serving as a deputy director for health care quality at the University Psychiatric Hospital Vrapce in Zagreb, Croatia. As a consultant psychiatrist, dr. Curkovic is working at the Department of diagnostics and intensive care and the Department for first psychoses. He is also a founder and current director of the first telepsychiatric center in the Republic of Croatia. Dr. Curkovic obtained his medical degree (M.D.) from the School of Medicine, the University of Zagreb, in 2010, and his doctoral degree (Ph.D.) from the same institution in 2017. The title of his Ph.D. thesis is 'Development of an instrument for assessing professional relationships among hospital physicians,' and Ana Borovecki was his mentor. Dr. Curkovic is currently also serving as the president of the Section of young psychiatrists of the Croatian Psychiatric Association. He published more than 40 scientific papers, took part (as a lecturer, presenter, or organizer) in numerous domestic and international scientific and professional conferences and projects, and contributed to almost ten book chapters. Areas of special academic, scientific, and professional interest of dr. Curkovic are medical ethics, or more specifically professional medical ethics, ethics and methodology of biomedical research, and psychiatry ethics. Furthermore, dr. Curkovic is involved in researching the possibilities for applying new methods and modalities of treatment and recovery for persons with mental health disorders and, more generally, the organization of the health care systems. Dr. Curkovic is (happily) married to a colleague Danijela, and has four children (namely: Pavla, Petar, Šimun, and Toma).

Ana Borovecki, M.D., B.A. Ph.D., MPH (Zagreb, 1973) is an Associate professor at Andrija Štampar, School of Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb. Prof. Borovecki holds an M.D. degree from the School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, and a bachelor's degree in philosophy and comparative literature from the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb. In 2004, she received a European Master of Bioethics degree from the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium. Her doctoral degree was obtained from Radboud University in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, in 2007. Prof. Borovecki is trained in clinical pharmacology and toxicology and has a Master in Public Health degree from School of Medicine, University of Zagreb. She is assistant to the director of Andrija Štampar School of Public Health, School of Medicine, the University of Zagreb in charge of scientific cooperation and the chair of the Department of Social Medicine and Organization of Health Care. In addition, she is a member of the CEPAMET, Center for Palliative Medicine, Medical Ethics and Communication Skills of the School of Medicine, University of Zagreb. Prof. Borovecki is President-Elect and member of the Board of the European Society for the Philosophy of Medicine and Healthcare (ESPMH) and a corresponding member of the Pontifical Academy of Life (PAV). Areas of special academic, scientific, and professional interest of Prof. Borovecki are medical ethics, or more specifically clinical ethics and professional medical ethics, research ethics and ethics in science, and public health ethics. She is the editor, author, or co-author of several university textbooks, book chapters, books, and a significant number of scientific papers.