Footprints of Medical Humanities in the Emergency Department: The Balance of the Arts and Sciences

Abstract

Medical Humanities (MH) represents an interdisciplinary field that comprises of humanities, social sciences and the applications of the arts in medical education, research, innovation and medical practice. The Humanities includes the arts, eg. literature, history, music, philosophy, poetry and narratives, theatre, drama and the performing arts, painting and drawing, as well as many more, that ca be integrated into the science of Medicine. The spectrum is wide and the applications continue to broaden. Emergency Medicine is a specialty which is extremely fast moving, hectic, robust and very dynamic. It is not easy for one to envision how MH can be integrated into the practice of Emergency Medicine.

The author shares how the use of various methodologies such as story-telling, narrative creation, painting, visual thinking, drama and role-playing to enhance understanding and inculcation of MH principles and elements, can be incorporated into emergency patient care delivery ( eg. history taking, explaining treatment, getting informed consent) training and education of Emergency Physicians (EPs), uplifting communications, professionalism and identity as well as research and innovation work.

In the end, it is about making the work of EPs more meaningful, work-life balance achievable and the formation of impactful human relations with their patients and colleagues. It will also value add to their comprehension of their professional identity in a medical world which spans a multitude of specialties.

Key Words: Medical humanities, arts, narratives, visual thinking, emergency medicine, professionalism.