Fall Conference: Exploring the Humane Side of Healthcare: Medical Humanities and Ethics in Clinical Context

 Abstract: Language and images play a critical role in healthcare and promotion of health. Narratives and narrative methods serve both to sustain clinicians and to complement technological advances such as machine learning, standardization, and the electronic health record. This conference will focus on these contributions of the arts, humanities, and social sciences to healthcare and healthcare ethics:

Analysis of literature and art develops moral imagination
Responding to dramatic presentations develops skills of cross-cultural discernment and interpersonal expression
Examination of metaphors and images hones critical reasoning and exposes cultural influences and implicit bias

With the goal of enhancing provider-patient communication and honing skills of cultural competence, this conference will employ a mix of methods—clinical case analysis, discussion, lecture, and participatory role-play/theater, as well as opportunities for reflective writing—to develop skills in dealing with cultural differences, difficult patients and difficult clinical encounters, end-of-life decision making, and grief, as well as regulatory and technological constraints/opportunities (e.g., the EHR and social media).The conference will feature faculty from the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University, Cleveland Clinic, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, West Virginia University, Wheeling Hospital, and Allegheny College.

Conference program and additional information or contact Jody Stockdill at cep@pitt.edu or 412-623-2033