Josh Perry
Adjunct Professor of Law
Assistant Professor of Medical Education and Administration, Vanderbilt Medical School
J.D. Vanderbilt University Law School
M.T.S. Vanderbilt University Divinity School
B.A. Lipscomb University
Joshua E. Perry joined the faculty of the medical school in July 2006 after serving as a research fellow with Vanderbilt University’s Center for Biomedical Ethics and Society. Professor Perry's teaching, research, writing, and service are intentionally interdisciplinary with a broad focus on the areas of bioethics, clinical medical ethics, health law/policy, medical/legal professionalism, and moral decision making.
His research explores how tensions between personal and professional values in the lives of lawyers impact upon identity formation and moral decision making, as well as related public policy "biopolitical" issues arising in dilemmas where legal, medical, ethical, and religious issues intersect. His work in these areas has been published in Annals of Internal Medicine, Health Matrix: Journal of Law-Medicine, Journal of Legal Medicine, DePaul Journal of Health Care Law, and Tennessee Medicine.
His current empirical research projects include the "Common Moral Problems" study, designed to compare and contrast the routine moral dilemmas experienced by lawyers, ministers, doctors, and businesspersons; an investigation of the moral decision making of health lawyers; and collaborative work on policy issues related to genetics and religion as they are experienced and understood by pastors and parishioners.
In addition to teaching graduate and undergraduate courses at the law and medical schools and the College of Arts and Sciences, Professor Perry also serves as a member of the Clinical Ethics Consultation team and as a member of the VUMC Ethics Committee. He also mentors students in the medical school's Law & Policy Emphasis Program. Off campus, Perry frequently speaks to a variety of audiences on issues related to the intersection of law, medicine and ethics.
Before joining the Center for Biomedical Ethics and Society, Professor Perry practiced civil litigation for two and a half years at Riley, Warnock, & Jacobson, representing the commercial and intellectual property interests of clients including Sony Entertainment, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Curb Music, St. Martin’s Press, Coca-Cola, and several country and gospel songwriters and recording artists. He also coached a team of high school freshman and sophomores in the Nashville Bar Association's High School Mock Trial Tournament, where his team placed first in the city-wide competition.
At Vanderbilt Law School, Professor Perry teaches Professional Responsibility and in the 1L Foundations of Legal Ethics & Professionalism offering.
