FAQ's

What is Medical Humanities?

Medical humanities is an exciting interdisciplinary field emerging at the intersection of the biomedical sciences and the humanities. Disciplines from the realm of the humanities (philosophy, history, literature, religion, ethics, social sciences, behavioral health and the arts, among others) are seen as complementary and not incompatible with the basic sciences that have traditionally dominated premedical and prehealth education.

Medical humanities developed as a response to concerns that technological advances and economic upheaval in modern medicine were negatively impacting the relationship between patients and their healthcare professionals. Studies in the medical humanities are meant to enhance medical education and clinical practice by restoring more holistic values into the healing arts and healthcare settings and reminding us that our explicit focus in healthcare should include the experience of patients as human beings, not just as particular body parts or pathological processes.

Why Study Medical Humanities?

Medicine has been described as both an art and a science, yet traditional prerequisite coursework in premedical education has long emphasized the sciences. Increasingly, medical education recognizes the essential role of the humanities and social sciences in understanding health, illness, and human behavior. The Medical Humanities Department prepares students by cultivating critical thinking, ethical reasoning, communication, and an appreciation for the psychological, social, and cultural dimensions of healthcare. These skills complement scientific training and equip students to provide compassionate, patient-centered care.

But medical humanities is about much more than the MCAT; it’s about what matters most in medical practice. The medical humanities heighten our awareness and appreciation for the “whole person" in medicine. Students come away with a greater understanding of the art of medicine, the importance of the doctor-patient relationship, the spiritual and emotional dimensions of disease and the human experience of illness. As one of our graduates, now in medical school, puts it: “Biology helped me pass the MCAT. My medical humanities courses help me know what it means to be with the sick and suffering every day."

What can I do with a degree in Medical Humanities?

Baylor offers an outstanding pre-medical education, but the Medical Humanities Department isn't limited only to aspiring doctors. Students who are interested in pursuing careers in public health, community health, social work, law, journalism, healthcare administration and healthcare policy, are well served by this course of study.

Our graduates are employed by hospitals and clinics of all kinds, in fields ranging from primary care to any of the medical and surgical specialties. Others are working in ancillary medical services, serving as health educators, working in public health departments, in social services, chaplaincy and healthcare administration.

It is important to remember that a bachelor’s degree in medical humanities is not an end in itself. This degree is designed to give graduates a foundation upon which to build further professional training, and is most often the first step in their journey to working in or around the healthcare professions.