Sensing and the Shadows: Invisible Work in Medical Education in the Netherlands

Area of Science:

• Medical Anthropology
• Sociology of Education
• Medical Humanities

Background:

• Medical schools are key sites for knowledge transmission and anthropological study.
• Existing research primarily focuses on physicians, trainees, and simulated patients.
• The contributions of administrative and support staff are often overlooked.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the role of non-clinical staff in medical education.
• To introduce and explore the concept of "shadow work" in a medical school context.
• To understand how the labor of support staff influences medical students' embodied clinical practices.

Main Methods:

• Ethnographic fieldwork conducted in a Dutch medical school.
• Qualitative analysis of the practices and interactions of medical school staff.
• Focus on "invisible work" and its multisensory aspects.

Main Results:

• Identified significant "shadow work" performed by secretaries, porters, and other staff.
• Demonstrated how this "shadow work" highlights, isolates, and exaggerates elements of medical training.
• Showcased the embodied transmission of subtle lessons from staff to students.

Conclusions:

• The work of non-clinical staff is integral to the reproduction of medical knowledge and practice.
• "Shadow work" offers a valuable lens for understanding the hidden curriculum in medical education.
• Further research into the multisensory and embodied aspects of "shadow work" is warranted.