Education 

B.S., summa cum laude, Civil Engineering, Texas A&M, 1983

Fulbright in Philosophy, University of Tübingen, Germany, 1988-1989

M.A., 1990 and PhD, Rice University, 1993

Postdoctoral work at Center for Ethics and Health Policy, Baylor College of Medicine, 1993-1995

Research Interests 

Bioethics; Philosophy of Medicine; Ethics of Artificial Intelligence; Philosophy and Ethics of Emerging Science and Technology.

My work in philosophy of medicine addresses concepts of health, disease, and death, as well as the nature of medical knowledge and clinical judgment. I explore how these foundational questions shape ethical debates about patient care, organ donation, and the organization of health care. Recent collaborative work in genomic medicine addresses stewardship of patient data, discrimination and the misuse of genetic information, and the use of polygenic risk scores in embryo selection.

My recent work focuses on the ethical challenges of integrating artificial intelligence into medicine, including the use of AI systems to support clinical diagnosis. I examine how these systems affect clinical reasoning and the physician–patient relationship, and how contemporary debates about AI connect with earlier efforts to formalize medical knowledge and decision-making. In collaborative research with public health scholars, I also investigate bias in studies using electronic health records and develop frameworks for evaluating its ethical significance. My AI interests extend beyond medicine to questions about sustainability, greenwashing, and trustworthy AI.

Teaching

I teach undergraduate and graduate courses in health care ethics, ethical theory, philosophy of medicine, philosophy of science and engineering, human enhancement, and logic. My teaching also includes a philosophy of technology course for the South Carolina Honors College that explores catapults and cannons. Beyond the philosophy classroom, I have taught medical students, residents, genetic counseling students, and health care administrators.

Professional Engagement

My work connects academic philosophy with medical practice and professional policy. I served as chair of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics’ Social, Ethical, and Legal Issues Committee from 2022 to 2024 and have contributed to its working groups on genomic information, electronic health records, embryo selection, and AI. I have also served on hospital ethics committees, chaired the Palmetto Health Ethics Committee, and provided ethics consultation and education for health care organizations.

Selected Publications

• Khushf, G., and A. Iltis. “A Conceptual Framework for Critically Evaluating Integration of AI Diagnostic Support Systems into Clinical Practice.” Journal of Medicine and Philosophy 50(6) (2025): 389–412.
• N’Diaye, A., et al. “The Lifecycle of Electronic Health Record Data in HIV-Related Big Data Studies: Qualitative Study of Bias Instances and Potential Opportunities for Minimization.” Journal of Medical Internet Research 27 (2025): e71388.
• Grebe, T., et al. “Clinical Utility of Polygenic Risk Scores for Embryo Selection: A Points to Consider Statement of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG).” Genetics in Medicine 26(4) (2024).
• Qiao, S., G. Khushf, X. Li, J. Zhang, and B. Olatosi. “Developing an Ethical Framework-Guided Instrument for Assessing Bias in EHR-Based Big Data Studies: A Research Protocol.” BMJ Open 13 (2023): e070870.
• Khushf, G. “A Framework for Understanding Medical Epistemologies.” Journal of Medicine and Philosophy 38 (2013): 461–486.
• Khushf, G. “Upstream Ethics in Nanomedicine: A Call for Research.” Nanomedicine 2 (2007): 511–521.
• Khushf, G., ed. Handbook of Bioethics: Taking Stock of the Field from a Philosophical Perspective. Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2004.