Medical Humanities in the New Era

Medical Humanities in the New Era

 

Book Title: Medical Humanities in the New Era

Synopsis:

Medical humanities emerged as a new emphasis in medical education during the late twentieth century. Together with basic medicine and clinical medicine, medical humanities have become the three core pillars of medical education in this new era. However, interpretations of what constitutes "medical humanities" vary. Some believe that besides the ability to diagnose and treat diseases, a physician should possess humanistic literacy—yet humanistic literacy itself is a vague concept. While the humanities encompass literature, art, philosophy, religion, history, and more, the focus of humanities within medicine emphasizes humane care and emotional training. This cultivation enables a practitioner to tap into their innate empathy during the medical process, allowing them to deeply commiserate with those suffering from illness. Consequently, the medical humanities represent the capacity to be moved; they inspire a physician to extend compassion and care to patients during treatment, while also enabling patients to feel human dignity and warmth through that personal love. Medical Humanities in the New Era explores the spirit of medical humanities from both theoretical and practical dimensions, while also reflecting upon and discussing the humanistic content that ought to be integrated into medical education.

About the Authors

Yao-Tang Shih

Ling-Fang Cheng

Jen-Yih Chu

Chi-Jen Lin

Helen Sun (Hai-Lun Sun)

Wen-Cheng Chang

Te-Lin Chang

Chung Y. Hsu

Ching-Hsiang Chen

Ling-Lan Huang

Yung-Wen Yeh

Eng-Kung Yeh

Tu-Keng Tsai

Hong-An Shau (Horng-An Shau)

Joseph T. Dig (Cheng-Teh Tai)

  • Professor and Major General Dean of Education, National Defense Medical Center

  • Deputy Director-General, Department of Health, Executive Yuan

  • Director-General, Department of Health, Taiwan Provincial Government

  • Chairman, Asian Health Literacy Association (AHLA)

  • Honorary Chairman, Taiwan College of Healthcare Executives

  • Ph.D. in Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, USA

  • Professor, Graduate Institute of Gender Studies, Kaohsiung Medical University

  • Committee Member, Medical Education Committee, Ministry of Education

  • Committee Member, Kaohsiung Women's Rights Promotion Committee

  • Ph.D. in Sociology, University of Essex, UK

  • Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics, St. Louis University School of Medicine

  • Director, Department of Pediatrics / Division of Pediatric Hematology and Department of Continuing Medical Education, Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital, St. Louis University

  • Ph.D. in Nutrition, University of California, Berkeley, USA

  • Bachelor of Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine

  • Vice President for Student Affairs, National Cheng Kung University

  • Distinguished Professor, NCKU College of Medicine / Orthopedic Surgeon

  • Ph.D., Institute of Biomedical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University

  • Bachelor of Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine

  • Associate Professor, School of Medicine and Director of Medical Humanities, Chung Shan Medical University

  • Director, Department of Pediatrics, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital

  • Ph.D., Institute of Clinical Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University

  • Director of the School of Medicine and Dean of Academic Affairs, China Medical College

  • Dean, College of Health Sciences, Chang Jung Christian University

  • Attending Physician, Department of Otolaryngology, Sin Lau Hospital

  • Ph.D. in Immunology, University of Southern California, USA

  • Associate Professor, Department of Chinese Literature, National Central University

  • Director, Department of Taiwan Language and Literature, Chung Shan Medical University

  • Pastor, Presbyterian Church in Taiwan

  • Ph.D. in Literature, Chinese Culture University

  • Board Member, Board of Directors, China Medical University and Healthcare System

  • Board Member, Board of Directors, National Health Research Institutes

  • Chair Professor and CEO, China Medical University and Healthcare System

  • Professor and President, Taipei Medical University

  • Stein Professor, Director of the Stroke Center, and Professor of Neurology, Washington University Medical Center, USA

  • Attending Physician, Division of Gastroenterology, China Medical University Hospital

  • Master's degree, Institute of Life Science, National Tsing Hua University

  • Bachelor of Medicine, School of Medicine, China Medical University

  • Full-time Assistant Professor, School of Medicine, Mackay Medical College

  • Curriculum Convener of Medical Humanities, Mackay Medical College

  • Ph.D., Graduate Institute of Philosophy, Fu Jen Catholic University

  • Director, Department of Medical Sociology and Social Work, Chung Shan Medical University

  • Professor and Director, Center for General Education, National Defense Medical Center

  • Ph.D., Graduate Institute of National Development, National Taiwan University

  • Professor of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University College of Medicine

  • Superintendent, Taiwan Sanitarium and Hospital

  • Professor Emeritus, Taipei Medical University

  • Chair Professor and Director of the Center for Bioethics and Social Medicine, Pingtung Christian Hospital

  • Founding Chairman, Taiwan Association for Social Transformation

  • Ph.D. in Culture and Historical Sociology, University of Michigan, USA

  • Bachelor of Medicine, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University

  • Professor and Director, Center for General Education, Chung Shan Medical University

  • Evaluator, Taiwan Medical Accreditation Council (TMAC), Higher Education Evaluation and Accreditation Council of Taiwan

  • Member, Medical Humanities Education Core Team (MEH), Ministry of Education

  • Gender Equality Education Teacher Trainer, Ministry of Education

  • Ph.D. in Philosophy, Fu Jen Catholic University

  • Chair Professor of the School of Medicine and Dean of the College of Medical Humanities and Social Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University

  • Ph.D., Concordia University, Canada / Professor, University of Saskatchewan

  • President, International Association of Christian Bioethics (IACB)

  • Standing Committee Member of the Medical Education Committee and Convener of the General Education Division, Ministry of Education