The medical humanities shape us, inform how we practice medicine and how we approach our patients

Schuyler Gaillard (SOM’24)

Medical humanities comprise all areas of medicine other than the diagnosis and treatments; they shape us, inform how we practice medicine and how we approach our patients, and impact medicine at all levels including socioeconomic, political, personal, and spiritual. Moreover, as GUSOM moves towards a curriculum which focuses on health disparities and systemic racism, medical humanities become even more important. Taking a medical humanities course with Dr. Krishnan provided comprehensive context for current disparities as well as many historical factors which helped create the systems and world views that currently exist. The medical humanities course complemented much of the core curriculum and provided such invaluable knowledge that I feel it should be a mandatory part of the core curriculum.