Health Humanities and the Medical Arts Minor
Program Director: Sarah-Vaughan Brakman, PhD, HEC-C
Office Location: Saint Augustine Center, Room 170
Telephone: (610) 519-4004
The minor in Health Humanities and the Medical Arts is founded on the understanding that medicine, and health care more broadly, aims to restore and promote flourishing and well-being of the whole human person. The humanities and the social sciences offer unique opportunities to explore the meaning of health and illness that provide valuable knowledge and insight for future healthcare professionals and caregivers. Moreover, research shows significant and high rates of correlation between the study of health humanities and the provision of excellent healthcare as well as high levels of sustained professional satisfaction.
The minor is designed to focus on knowledge acquisition as well as cognitive and interpersonal skills development aimed at supporting the goals of whole person-centered healthcare. Skills based learning includes a focus on critical thinking, effective communication, empathetic imagination, and compassionate care. The minor in Health Humanities and the Medical Arts is available to all students in the University and is particularly valuable for those students planning to pursue graduate studies or employment in the medical field or the healthcare industry more broadly.