A Critical Interpretive Literature Review of Phronesis in Medicine

This article presents the results of a rigorous critical interpretive review that maps the current literature on phronesis in medicine. The literature in this area involves varied disciplines, centuries, and conceptions and is extensive, but through a focused review, this study seeks to clarify definitions and key distinctions. It thereby aims to elucidate a depth of meaning and understanding regarding phronesis in medicine to inform future work on the topic. Specifically, 12 themes are inductively identified and analyzed from the literature, and organized into three chronological categories of past, present, and future. A narrative summation of the literature to date is then offered, assessing the varied conceptual applications of phronesis to medical practice, the emerging literature on its applicability to organizations, prospects for empirical work on the concept, and its application in medical education.