The Minnesota Gerontological Society (MGS) is hosting a two-part online webinar series in June and July to provide information on the issues raised by the “End-of-Life Option Act” that was considered in the recent (2025-2026) Minnesota Legislative Session. The Act was intended to establish an end-of-life option for terminally ill adults with a prognosis of six months or less.
Mary Carlsen from Compassionate Choices presented “Medical Aid in Dying: A Minnesota Option?” on June 10th. Dr. T. Brian Callister from the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine will present “Tales Before the Crypt: The Ethical Challenges and Unintended Consequences of Assisted Suicide” at the MGS July webinar.
Part 2 -Tales Before the Crypt: The Ethical Challenges and Unintended Consequences of Assisted Suicide
As “Medical Aid in Dying” or “Assisted Suicide” laws have become more prevalent in the United States, many unintended negative consequences have been noted. Issues surrounding limiting access to different treatment options, decreasing patient choice and autonomy, suicide contagion, and financial disincentives to care have crept into the ethical debate about this “treatment option.”
In this webinar, we will discuss the ethical challenges and unintended consequences of these laws.
1.0 Free CEU credit is available after the presentation
Meet the Presenter
T. Brian Callister, MD, MACP, SFHM
T. Brian Callister, MD, MACP, SFHM is a Professor of Medicine and Vice Chair for Academic Affairs at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine. He is nationally recognized as an expert in care transitions and internationally known for his work on end-of-life issues.
He has appeared in numerous media outlets including NPR, the Los Angeles Times, USA Today, The Federalist, The Daily Signal, Daily Mail, Relevant Radio, FOX (The Tucker Carlson Show), and many others worldwide. He previously served as Vice Chair of the Ethics, Professionalism, and Human Rights Committees for the American College of Physicians (ACP) and is the immediate past Governor of ACP Nevada.
Dr. Callister was named a Master of the American College of Physicians in 2025, becoming one of only five physicians in Nevada history to receive this distinction.
From 2004 through 2016, he served as National Medical Director, Chief Medical Officer, and Senior Physician Executive for LifeCare Hospitals, one of the nation's largest Long Term Acute Care (LTAC) hospital systems. As Chairman of the Clinical Committee of the Acute Long Term Hospital Association, he led the development of the first national LTAC industry outcome benchmark study and helped advance acute care criteria for the American Hospital Association and The Joint Commission.
Dr. Callister has served on multiple Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Technical Expert Panels, including Readmissions, Ventilator Weaning, Quality Benchmark Development, and currently serves on the CMS expert panel on Hospital Patient Harm. He has also advised the CDC, RTI, and the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) on healthcare quality measure development. In 2012, Modern Healthcare recognized him as one of the 50 Most Influential Physician Executives in Healthcare.
Prior to his medical career, Dr. Callister worked as a financial analyst for Pacific Telesis (Pacific Bell, Nevada Bell, and AirTouch Cellular).
Throughout his career, Dr. Callister has served as President of both the Nevada State Medical Association and the Washoe County Medical Society. He has held numerous leadership positions as Chief of Staff and Chief Medical Officer across several hospital systems spanning three decades and served as Nevada State Chairman for the American Medical Association's Organized Medical Staff Section.
In 1995, he co-founded Sierra Hospitalists and served for 15 years as Managing General Partner and Chief Financial Officer, helping grow the organization into one of the nation's largest private hospitalist physician practices.
Dr. Callister graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Stanford University with a degree in Economics before earning his M.D. from the University of Utah, where he graduated Alpha Omega Alpha. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at UCLA and was voted Outstanding Resident Physician of the Year.
In 2009, he was part of the inaugural class of 500 physicians worldwide to receive the designation of Fellow in Hospital Medicine from the Society of Hospital Medicine and was named a Senior Fellow in 2017. In 2025, he received the prestigious Master designation from the American College of Physicians.
Dr. Callister lectures extensively throughout the United States on healthcare quality, care transitions, spirituality in medicine, and end-of-life ethics. His service has been recognized with the American College of Physicians Nevada Chapter Volunteerism and Community Service Award and a Congressional Certificate of Recognition for Outstanding Service to the Community.
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