Jarrod Shapiro, DPM
Practice Perfect Editor
Assistant Professor
Dept. of Podiatric Medicine
Surgery & Biomechanics
College of Podiatric Medicine
Western University of
Health Sciences
St. Pomona, CA

The Humanities in Medicine

I recently heard an interesting debate on National Public Radio's On Point about maintaining humanities in higher education. As many of us know, it is very difficult for graduates in the humanities (English, philosophy, history, etc.) to find well-paying jobs. Outside of going into the education profession, some of these programs confer onto the graduate a degree that most employers do not seem to desire. In fact, the government has moved toward supporting STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) subjects with federal money in order to improve the international competitiveness of American students.

Is this a trend we want to see? Should the humanities still be taught in college? What would be the significance to those of us in the medical profession if our undergraduate colleges were to stop focusing on the humanities and prepare students only in the sciences?

You might ask, "Why is Shapiro interested in this topic? As a podiatrist, what does he care if undergraduates are able to attain a history or English degree?"

As a matter of fact, I find this topic extremely pertinent to the medical sciences and becoming more so as declining numbers of undergraduates take humanities courses. Perhaps an example would help illustrate my point.

The vast majority of podiatric students in my college seem to have obtained science degrees of some type as undergraduates. They make it through their first two years of school, which includes an Essentials of Clinical Medicine class that teaches them how to write chart notes (among other things). Yet when some of my students rotate through my clinic, I consistently see problems with charting, communication, and thought process. These difficulties range from simple grammatical errors to repeatedly placing information in the wrong sections of a chart note (example - placing subjective patient information in the physical examination section). Similarly, some students have a difficult time verbally relaying information in an organized manner. I also see a good number of students unable to critically examine various topics, believing as gospel what the "authorities" tell them.

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Now, I know these students well. They're intelligent, most of them are motivated, and they receive very high quality preclinical training. These errors are not for lack of trying or poor medical training. I feel these deficiencies are due to a lack of experience with the humanities. Think of the skills acquired while studying the humanities: verbal communication, written communication, critical thinking, understanding one's place in the larger community, and challenging current wisdom and authority. These are some of the very skills too many of my students lack.

I graduated college with a Bachelor of English degree prior to starting podiatric medical school. During my education, I spent a significant amount of time writing. As a result, completing patient notes comes very easy for me, and I am able to intuitively understand the flow of a patient note. It's this simple experience which my students lack. The same is true with verbal communication. These are skills that come with practice. What chance does my biology major student, who spent all of his time studying basic science in a lab and never critically thinking and writing about life on a broader scale, have to be able to rapidly complete chart notes or relay a patient's history clearly?

Albert Einstein was not only an incredible genius but also the father of modern physics. As it turns out, he was also a very philosophical person who wrote not only about scientific issues but human ones. Dr. Einstein spoke and wrote to the international community on issues such as the creation of a Jewish state (Israel), religion, philosophy, and, for many years, pacifism. He gained these communication and humanism skills – as well as his greater awareness of his place in the world – not from studying science but from a broad education that included the humanities.

Similarly, being a physician is more than simply recalling a large number of scientific facts and applying biological knowledge to curing disease. The skills we gain from the humanities make us more well-rounded and, eventually, better physicians. Podiatric colleges need to consider this during the admissions process. It takes more than a biology/pre-med bachelor's degree to be a successful doctor. If we do so, we will be better off as a profession.

Or do nothing. It's up to you.

Best wishes,

Jarrod Shapiro, DPM
PRESENT Practice Perfect Editor
[email protected]