Al Ochasi, Ph.D, D. Bioethics, STL
Associate Professor
Phone: 252-744-5699
Email: ochasia23@ecu.edu
Dr. Ochasi is an Associate Professor with the Department of Bioethics and Interdisciplinary Studies, as well as Adjunct Faculty with the Department of Physician Assistant Studies, in the College of Allied Health. He has three bachelors (Philosophy, Theology, and Religious Studies) from the Pontifical Urban University, Rome, and Imo State University, Nigeria, respectively, two masters in Healthcare Ethics and Theology from St Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, and the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas, Angelicum, Rome, and two doctorate degrees in Bioethics and Organizational Leadership from Loyola University, Chicago, and Eastern University, PA respectively.
Prior to joining the department in July 2023, he taught medical ethics courses at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, PA, and leadership courses at the MacArthur School of Leadership at Palm Beach Atlantic University, Florida. As a health system ethicist, he conducted ethics teaching rounds, lectures, and consultations for over 500 medical students, interns, residents, and fellows at fourteen acute-care hospitals across four states (PA, MD, NJ, and DE).
Since coming to East Carolina, Dr. Ochasi has taught at the Brody School of Medicine and the School of Allied Health. He teaches M2 Society, Culture, and Health Systems, M1 Ethical Issues in Medicine, M4 Spirituality and Medicine in Clinical Care, and Principles of PA Practice II.
Dr. Ochasi is actively involved in the Bioethics Collaborative, which provides ethics services to ECU Health. He has published several articles in national and international bioethics journals, and has recently published The Challenged Resident: Moral distress, Moral Disengagement, and Ethics Climate in U.S. Medical Residencies, Springer: 2024.
Research Interests
- Moral Distress and Moral Disengagement in Healthcare
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Medicine
- Reusable Medical Devices in Developing Nations
- Health Equity and Access
- Organ Donation and Transplantation