From the Dean’s Desk | Medical Humanities Takes Center Stage

At the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University, we place special emphasis on medical humanities, with the aim of helping our students to become more empathic caregivers. Interwoven throughout their five-year program, medical humanities coursework allows students to better understand the human condition, how humans experience illness and pain, the limitations of medicine and what it means to be a healer. Students also discover how to help create healthier communities by interacting with and helping underserved populations.

Just this month, CCLCM held two medical humanities events, both of which were highly successful:

Story Slam Medical Student Edition, held on Oct. 4, attracted more than 100 attendees, including students and faculty. This much-beloved annual event allows medical students to present their original stories, poems and music related to their experience as student doctors. This year’s special guest was Jeanne Bryner, RN, who has published numerous poems and stories in magazines and journals including the Annals of Internal Medicine, American Journal of Nursing and The Sun. Read more about Story Slam.

Still in the City, held on Oct. 19, engaged Cleveland leaders and neighbors in a conversation about how arts, culture and dialogue can build bridges and create a healthier community. Participants viewed a documentary about the restoration of the historic Sidaway Bridge and proposed Kingsbury Run Reserve, and a live performance by Inlet Dance Theatre. The event was funded through a gift from Elliott and Gail Schlang.

These humanities events required tremendous effort from faculty, staff and students. I offer my deepest congratulations to all of them.

Thanks to a generous gift from the John P. Murphy Foundation to establish the John P. Murphy Fellowship in Medical Humanities at CCLCM, we welcomed Nathalie Egalite, PhD, as our first postdoctoral fellow. She is primarily involved in enhancing the medical humanities curriculum, undertaking medical humanities research projects and expanding our community partnerships, with a focus on health, equity and wellness. Please join me in welcoming Dr. Egalite to CCLCM.

Finally, I encourage you to check out the newest issue of Stethos, the CCLCM medical humanities journal, which showcases the incredible talent of our students, faculty and colleagues.

Bud Isaacson, MD
Executive Dean