Humanising Medicine

This STEAM Partnership programme will explore aspects of medicine from the perspectives of the humanties, to facilitate student engagement of the space between health sciences and social sciences. The course will adopt an interdisciplinary approach, bringing together insights from many different sources to better understand health issues and medical history; consequently, the programme is relevant to anyone considering medicine, human sciences, social studies, or anthropology. 

Over two terms, the course will explore three broad areas, through lectures and structured discussion and group research:

1) Race, gender and their impacts on medicine

2) Ethical issues in healthcare

and either

3) History of madness or Humanity and psychotropic drugs

Some of the themes that we will identify include the biopsychosocial model of health, unconscious bias, health inequalities, and autonomy. 

Lectures will be recorded via TEAMS to distribute to the partner schools. It is hoped that in person discussion sessions can be arranged, regular group responses to the course content in the form of own research will be expected. 

Aims

The aims are to introduce medical humanities as a subject to sixth formers, to foster a more critical and diverse understanding of medical practise and current medical challenges, increase articulacy and empathy in medical issues, provide students with the opportunity for teamwork and interdisciplinary collaboration. 

Background

This programme was developed specifically to introduce partnerships schools to STEAM+ interdisciplinary teaching and provide undergraduate level content to interested students. 

Resources

Scientist in residence (ex NHS doctor).

Impact

The impact of the project to the partnership school will be assessed by an internally devised questionnaire. 

Pupil Involvement

The pupils involvement is six Year 13 students from the partnership school.

Frequency

The project will take place over 16 weeks from September through to Easter. This opportunity will be on offer every school year for the foreseeable future.