Despite the profound impacts of scientific research, few scientists have received the necessary training to productively discuss the ethical and societal implications of their work. To address this critical gap, we – a group of predominantly human genetics trainees – developed a course on genetics, ethics, and society for human geneticists and other researchers. Our curriculum positions human genetics within its historical and societal context and encourages students to evaluate how societal norms and structures impact the conduct of scientific research. We demonstrate the utility of this course via pre- and post-course surveys of enrolled students over two years. By the end of our course, we find that students understand that society and science are deeply intertwined; recognize their identity influences how they operate within science and society; and feel empowered to make change. We provide resources and strategies for others hoping to teach similar courses, in the hopes that this course will serve as a template for other institutions and scientific disciplines. We conclude by arguing that if scientists are to work towards rectifying the inequities and injustices produced by our field, we must first learn to view our own research as impacting and being impacted by society.
