Medical schools across the country, in recognition that medicine is more than a strict science, are beginning to emphasize the importance of the humanities in medicine. This shifting attitude brings shifting curriculums, as schools such as Yale, Stanford, Cornell and Mount Sinai move to implement humanities classes into their already busy coursework.
Duke School of Medicine has prepared itself for this shift and need not alter its curriculum to highlight the humanities in medicine.
Duke’s curriculum sets itself apart from all other medical school curriculums in the country. With two years of basic science condensed into one and a third year for scholarly pursuits and research, Duke medical students already maintain a hectic schedule.
Humanistic knowledge plays a clear role in medical practice. A doctor does more than prescribe medication. Medicine requires doctors to be healers of minds and bodies. A physician must be able to talk to, understand, empathize with their patients.
Studying the humanities can help a person develop these skills. Literature can teach someone to understand the motives of the worst of people, philosophy can enlighten someone about the ethics of death, and history can give someone a perspective on the scope an illness has had in the past. These are simple examples that illustrate the uses of the humanities in medical practice.
Being able to talk with and understand people has great consequences. Physician and journalist Atul Gawande has argued that some of the vast medical spending that occurs at the end of life, which accounts for a large portion of health care costs, comes from the fact that doctors are reluctant to hold end-of-life discussions with their patients. It is clear that introducing doctors to the humanities may help in such areas.
Duke’s medical students, however, already have busy schedules without being forced to read “Les Miserables.” Students should gain these insights in their undergraduate studies, though we understand that does not always happen.
Duke has positioned itself well by working hard to admit students who already have a sense of ethics and sagacity. With a rigorous six essay secondary application that asks students questions about ethical dilemmas and how to approach them, the Duke School of Medicine seeks students with a greater understanding of people and the importance of connecting with patients.
The humanistic spirit is alive at Duke’s medical school. Students are perceptive to changes of thought and often send various articles highlighting such issues to each other through listservs. A course designed for the first- and second-years, “Practice Course,” works tirelessly to emphasize the importance of listening, understanding and empathizing with patients. Finally, the open third year for academic pursuits allows students to pursue projects in the medical humanities, and some do.
Should the school wish to introduce more humanities into the curriculum, it could add more course options during the third year that fit well into students’ schedules. Lectures or classes offered through Duke’s Trent Center for Bioethics would be especially appropriate.
Duke School of Medicine does not need to add humanities requirements—it has done well by adding humanities options and by seeking to enroll students with humanistic bents.
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