The medical humanities transformed my perspective on medicine

Angelette Pham (COL’24/VCU’29)

Whenever someone asks me why I declared a minor in medical humanities, I always tell them that the field transformed my perspective on medicine. As a biochemistry major, I have always loved the hard sciences—and I still do—but the medical humanities have taught me that medicine is more than just science applied to healthcare. Learning to approach medicine through the lens of the humanities, I have been amazed by the multifaceted complexities of illness, involving both its pathology and its social, historical, and philosophical implications. What I love most about the medical humanities is its focus on the human in medicine. It investigates medicine in the context of the people both giving and receiving care. I think this perspective on medicine is crucial to providing more holistic and just care moving forward, a passion I hope to pursue in my career as I continue to be a student of the medical humanities.

An Update: I’m currently a first year medical student at VCU School of Medicine. I’m learning everything I’ve ever wanted to learn. The medical humanities solidified my decision to pursue medicine and its humanistic principles are what keep me motivated to keep moving forward