UIWSOM Hosts Inaugural Humanities in Healthcare Symposium

On Saturday, Nov. 9, UIW's School of Osteopathic Medicine (UIWSOM), in collaboration with the UIWSOM chapter of the Gold Humanism Honor Society, hosted the inaugural Humanities in Healthcare Symposium. This first-time event welcomed approximately 70 community members and guests to hear from a variety of speakers as they discussed healthcare related topics such as professionalism, ethics, spirituality and humanism.

Dr. Rohini Mehta, UIWSOM psychiatry clerkship director and Phase II curriculum director, noted that important aspects of being a healthcare provider cannot always be taught simply through textbook readings and classroom lectures. The benefits of having opportunities to discuss these topics openly are vital in offering future healthcare providers a lens into compassionate, patient-centered care.

"The goal of this Symposium was to bring together members of the healthcare community to learn about and promote humanism in healthcare," shared Mehta. "The morning session featured presentations by experts in the field, discussing their experiences and offering advice on how to develop personally and professionally as healthcare providers. The afternoon session highlighted the work of our UIWSOM student doctors who have developed meaningful work in the topics of professionalism, ethics, spirituality and humanism in medicine."

The symposium's key virtual guest speaker, David A. Fleming, MD, MA, MACP, is professor emeritus and past chair of the Department of Medicine at the University of Missouri School of Medicine. His background and education in clinical ethics have given him deep insights in a wide range of topics. His published works explore subjects including end-of-life care, health disparity, health literacy, organizational ethics, health care access and research ethics.

Mehta shared that Fleming's wealth of clinical knowledge and leadership experience encouraged students to reflect on the history, present state and possible future progressions in the field of medicine. "The practice of medicine is an art. There is rarely one right answer for how to approach a clinical situation and the landscape of medicine is always evolving. As such, we learn from those who have wisdom from their years of experience," said Mehta.

She hopes that by having invited a diverse group of speakers consisting of industry professionals, clinical and non-clinical students and more, the next generation of healthcare professionals were able to consider how to incorporate humanities into their own practices so that practitioners and patients have a more meaningful healthcare experience.

"The Symposium on Humanities in Healthcare served as an inspiring exploration of humanism, empathy, and compassion, highlighting the indispensable role these qualities play in healthcare," stated Dr. John T. Pham, dean of UIWSOM. "It is imperative that we prepare the next generation of physicians to be not only proficient clinicians but also empathetic and humanistic in their approach to patient care. The symposium served as a catalyst for ongoing dialogue and strategic initiatives, urging us to embed these essential attributes more deeply into the fabric of medical practice and education. This commitment is necessary for the continued advancement of healthcare."