Humanistic Learning in Medical Curriculumt
SO RAJ HONGLADAROM, Ph.D. (Philosophy)*,
SURASAK T ANEEPANICHSKUL, M.D.**,
HENRY WILDE, M.D.***,
SUKHIT PHAOSA V ASDI, M.D.**,
YUEN TANNIRANDORN, M.D.**,
CHUMSAK PRUKSAPONG, M.D.****
Affiliation : *Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkom University, Bangkok I 0330.
**Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkom University, Bangkok I 0330,
***Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkom University, Bangkok 10330,
****Department of Surgery, Police Hospital, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
t The research for this paper was partially supported by a grant number RDG3/0I/2542, from the Thailand
Research Fund, Division Three.
AbstractThis paper argues for more attention and exposure to humanistic learning in the Thai
medical curriculum. Humanistic learning traditionally consists of literature, history and philo-
sophy, and is advantageous for medical education in that it tends to foster sensitivities to feelings,
awareness of social traditions, and creating of skills in deliberating complex, ethical issues. These
dispositions are necessary for a doctor in the world where there is an ever increasing public demand
for communication, accountability and transparency on the part of doctors. It is proposed that the
Thai medical curriculum should include more humanistic learning, and that medical students
should be given opportunities to interact more with students from other disciplines throughout
their studies and later professional life.
Keywords : Ethics, Medical Humanities, Medical Curriculum
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