Inclusive approaches to the medical humanities

One of the major concerns in modern medicine is the dichotomy between the scientific dimension of medicine and the art of practising it at the patient’s bedside. Students, as well as healthcare professionals, focus mainly on the scientific part of medicine and are less attuned perhaps to understanding the diversity of dimensions involved. To alleviate this imbalance, we consider that recognition of the medical and health humanities is mandatory, and, although this is not a new discipline, the humanities in medicine are far from being completely accepted worldwide.  

Keeping in mind the CIVIS mission, our initiative highlights the main goals which encompass inclusiveness and union by bringing into awareness the medical and health humanities and their major objectives across all universities. Our long-term goals are conceptual (focus on enhancing the doctor-patient relationship and peer-to-peer interaction and diminishing the burnout syndrome among medical students and medical caregivers by deepening the understanding of the current most challenging problems), and academic (the possibility of developing a multidisciplinary learning pathway – multiple and joint degrees –) in the future. 

Main topics addressed

• Stigma in pandemics. Historical point of view (past-present-future) 
• Stigma in pandemics. Stigma in pandemics (past-present-future) 
• Accessing bio-medical information resources and communicating in a healthcare setting 
• Narrative medicine 
• Current ethical challenges of biomedical research/genome editing
• Metacognition in medical practice and education

Learning outcomes

Immediate goals:

• Inclusiveness
• Union
• Awareness  of the major objectives on medical humanities across all universities

Long-term goals:

• Conceptual  (focus on enhancing the doctor-patient relationship and peer-to-peer interaction and diminish the burnout syndrome among medical students and medical caregivers by deepening the understanding of the current most challenging problems), and 
• Academic  (the possibility of developing a multidisciplinary learning pathway – multiple and joint degrees –) in the future.