Teaching the humanities to medical students

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Humanities in Medicine
• Clinical Science

Background:

• The human genome project promises advancements in chronic disease treatment.
• Overemphasis on molecular reductionism risks diminishing doctors' humanitarian instincts.
• Leading medical figures advocate for incorporating humanities into medical curricula.

Purpose of the Study:

• To argue for the inclusion of medical humanities in undergraduate medical education.
• To explore how medical humanities can enhance physician qualities.
• To propose a hypothesis for future evidence-based research.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative argumentation and hypothesis generation.
• Review of current trends in medical education.
• Philosophical and ethical reasoning on the doctor-patient relationship.

Main Results:

• Medical humanities education is hypothesized to improve empathy.
• Enhanced communication skills are expected outcomes.
• Ethical standing and scientific literacy may also be paradoxically improved.

Conclusions:

• Medical humanities offer a counterbalance to molecular reductionism in medicine.
• Curriculum evolution is necessary to foster well-rounded physicians.
• Further research is needed to empirically validate the benefits of medical humanities.