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Institute for Bioethics logo
Aleksandra E. Olszewski

Aleksandra E. Olszewski, MD, MA

Core Faculty

Professional Statement

Dr. Olszewski is a physician-investigator and pediatric intensivist with training in both medicine and bioethics. She practices at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, and joined the faculty at the University of Pittsburgh in 2024. Dr. Olszewski received her medical degree from Harvard Medical School and completed her pediatric residency at the University of Washington School of Medicine. After a chief residency, she completed a fellowship in clinical bioethics and Master of Arts in bioethics at the University of Washington School of Medicine. She completed her fellowship in pediatric critical care at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

Dr. Olszewski’s scholarly work includes empirical and normative bioethics work and work in bioethics education. Her work has been published broadly in clinical and academic journals including Pediatrics, JAMA Pediatrics, Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, and the American Journal of Bioethics. Her health services research is aimed at understanding and improving communication and family support as they affect collaborative decision-making in the pediatric intensive care unit. She is especially interested in high-stakes, high-acuity, time-sensitive decisions, such as those regarding invasive life-sustaining therapies. As a bioethicist, clinician, and scientist, she seeks to translate conceptual theories into practical guidance for clinicians and families when decisions and relationships are particularly challenging.

Dr. Olszewski also leads the pediatric intensive care fellowship bioethics curriculum, serves as a leader for the Children’s Hospital Schwarz Rounds, and serves on the Children’s Hospital Ethics Committee.

Appointments

  • Assistant Professor of Critical Care Medicine and Pediatrics Department of Critical Care Medicine School of Medicine
  • Core Faculty Institute for Bioethics

Education and Training

  • Pediatric Critical Care Fellowship, Northwestern University, 2024
  • Pediatric Bioethics Fellowship, University of Washington, 2021
  • MA, University of Washington, 2021
  • Pediatric Chief Residency, University of Washington, 2020
  • Pediatric Residency, University of Washington, 2019
  • MD, Harvard Medical School, 2016
  • BA, University of Wisconsin, 2010

Professional Interests in Bioethics

Representative Publications

  1. Olszewski AE, Shah SK, Barrera L, Castillo L, Kolaitis I, Goodman DM, Paquette E. Pediatric intensive care unit conflict management perspectives among physician and nurse leaders. JAMA network open. 2025 May 1;8(5):e259783-.

  2. Olszewski AE, Zhou C, Ugale J, Ramos J, Patneaude A, Opel DJ. Disparities in Clinical Ethics Consultation Among Hospitalized Children: A Case-Control Study. J Pediatr. 2023 Apr 6:113415. PMID: 37028752.

  3. Olszewski AE, Bogetz J, Mercer A, Bradford MC, Scott M, Fields B, Williams K, Rosenberg AR, Trowbridge A. Empathy Expression in Interpreted and Noninterpreted Care Conferences of Seriously Ill Children. Pediatrics. 2023 Mar 1;151(3). PMID: 36785992.

  4. Vo H, Campelia GD, Olszewski AE. Addressing Racism in Ethics Consultation: An Expansion of the Four-Box Method. J Clin Ethics. 2023 Mar 1;34(1):11-26. PMID: 36940357

  5. Olszewski AE, Mendelsohn L, Paquette ET. Unique ethical and practical considerations in the use of behavior contracts for families of minors and minoritized populations in pediatric settings. Am J Bioeth. 2023 Jan 2;23(1):82-5.9.

  6. Olszewski AE, Goldkind SF. The default position: optimizing pediatric participation in medical

Awards and Honors

  • High dose Erythropoietin for Asphyxia and encephaLopathy (HEAL)-Ethics, 12/2017-05/2020
  • Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute. Project: Approaches to Conflict Management in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, 02/2023-06/2024

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