Escape or instruction? A description of a seminar for general practitioners on literature and medicine

We describe the planning and running of a seminar on medicine and literature for general practitioners. This was based on the educational principles of adult learning. We used academic papers, an extract from a novel, a short story, and a cartoon and asked participants to present a piece of literature of their choice. Although the general practitioners (GPs) had not been selected for their specific interest in this area, there was great enthusiasm for this field. Most of the GPs thought literature could contribute to their professional lives and also could be useful for teaching.