A contribution of social science and humanities in medical education.
Published by WISE 4All
Posted on November 15, 2021
Changes in the profession and new trajectories of care.
By Francesca Pecori, UNIPISA 
In medicine, it is by now widespread and accepted a bio-psycho-social model, which calls for the integration of the different elements affecting health conditions. To overlook in healthcare this approach, which brings together all of these dimensions in prevention, diagnosis, and therapies, means to reduce its heuristic value. Upon diffusion of such a multidisciplinary approach, there emerges the problem of integrating the different subject matters involved and, thus, the need for a revised, updated education supply framework. Indeed, it is necessary to to add to the existing university programs courses capable of increasing the essential contribution of human sciences to completing the education and training of doctors and all of those working in the medical field.
University programs and sectors are still somewhat strict, which makes it had to introduce innovations without violating any regulations and, above all, without failing to meet the need to provide students with an adequate, technical preparation. Waiting for an effective and stable change,the strategy that has been adopted so far is to offer an array of courses, among which students may choose according to their personal interests, such as courses devoted to gender medicine.
In consideration of the challenges that clinical practice has to face, ranging from the usage of new technologies to the growing request for humanization and personalization of therapies, the seminar will contribute to promoting an open discussion not only among institutional figures but also with students and experts and professionals in the field, by relying also on the experience of the French
university system, which adopted such an approach long ago.
Within this framework, the activities carried out in the project WISE4AllChallenges (grant agreement COMM/SUBV/2020/E/0077) will also be presented.
The exchange of ideas and the multidisciplinary approach, as the EU objectives indicate, should provide theoretical contributions and operational proposals useful for the ongoing study of such crucial issues concerning our future health system.
About the Author
WISE4ALL- Women for Innovative Society in Europe is a network of women created in 2015. WISE4All is not only a matter of gender, rather a joint action for innovation, a participatory process that brings out ideas, suggestions and best practices towards a new cultural and social model.