College:
Wycliffe Hall
Biography:
Dr. Ariel Dempsey is a physician and scholar with a deep interest in how we navigate uncertainty in medicine, especially at the end of life. She earned her MD from Michigan State University College of Human Medicine and a DPhil in Science & Religion from the University of Oxford. Her doctoral research developed the concept of Palliating Uncertainty—an approach grounded in the values of palliative care and shaped by the philosophy of pragmatism. Dr. Dempsey is also a member of the team that received the Oxford Vice-Chancellor’s Award in Teaching for the development of a Medical Humanities Curriculum at the Oxford Medical School. She is a postdoctoral fellow in Health and Christian Ethics in the University of Oxford Faculty of Theology. After postdoctoral work, she will pursue residency in psychiatry with a fellowship in palliative care.
Research Interests:
Uncertainty, Palliative Care, Pragmatism, Science & Religion, Theology
Educational Background:
University of Oxford, DPhil Theology: Science & Religion
Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, MD
University of Oxford, MSt Science & Religion
University of Michigan, BA
Recent Publications:
Dempsey, A. (2025). A Tribute to Robert Twycross: Pioneer of Palliative Care and His Hopes for the Future. Journal of Palliative Medicine.
Dempsey A. (2025). Palliating Uncertainty: Tools from the Pragmatism of William James, MD. Taught at Oxford Advanced Course in Pain and Symptom Management, Newcastle/Oxford, England.
Dempsey A. (2025). Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill: Written Evidence Submitted by Dr Ariel Dempsey. UK Parliament. https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5901/cmpublic/TerminallyIllAdults/memo/TIAB323.htm
Dempsey, A. (2024). Palliating Uncertainty: Tools from the Pragmatism of William James, MD. Keynote at the McGill Palliative Care Congress, Montreal, Quebec. https://youtu.be/j41He-BG4W8?si=X4Se3iD8O2yXoKWO
Dempsey, A. (2024). Palliating Uncertainty: Tools from the Pragmatism of William James. Plenary at the Palliative Care and Psychiatry Conference: The Merging of Two Disciplines, Belfast, Ireland. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jF6xfCaAPFY&t=817s
Dempsey, A., Mulder, J., Beckrow, J. Palliative Matters Podcast: Palliating Uncertainty, Nov 2024, Grand Rapids, Michigan https://trilliuminstitute.org/podcast-palliative-matters/ Palliativ2024
Watson, M., Dore, M., Twycross, R., Dempsey, A., & Flemming, K. (2024). Hospice UK Clinical ECHO May 2024. Hospice UK Project Echo. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZVlzi-Lukc&ab_channel=HospiceUKECHO
Dempsey, A., & Mulder, J. (2023). Living with Uncertainty in End-of-Life Care. Plenary presented at the UK Palliative Care Congress 2023 Plenary Address, Edinburgh, Scotland. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHiG2v0lzVk&t=19s&loop=0
Dempsey, A., & Mulder, J. (2023). Quality versus quantity of life: beyond the dichotomy. Palliative Medicine Reports, 3(1), 17-23.
Dempsey, A. (2023). “Theological Aesthetics and Clinical Care.” In Poltrum, M., Musalek, M., Galvin, K., & Saito, Y. The Oxford Handbook of Mental Health and Contemporary Western Aesthetics. Oxford University Press.
Dempsey, Ariel. (2022). “How Can Bread and Wine Change Into Flesh and Blood?” Theological Puzzles (Issue 11). https://www.theo-puzzles.ac.uk/2022/07/07/dempsey/.
Dempsey, A. (2020). Live Like You're Dying?: Acting in Uncertainty. TED Talk. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/ariel_dempsey_live_like_you_re_dying_acting_in...
