Medical Humanities

Medical Humanities Background at UTA

An initiative toward Medical Humanities learning at UTA began on February 28, 2018 with a power point presentation to the Liberal Arts Deans by Dr. Steven Gellman. The concept for this Medical Humanities program was part of a renewed nation-wide focus toward improving Healthcare in America by returning the humanistic element to medicine. The effort fit very nicely with the UTA President’s strategic initiative of promoting education in Health and the Human Condition.

An exciting part of Medical Humanities learning at UTA has been administrative interest in continued growth of the program. A new faculty addition to the program, Dr. Eli Shupe, joined the Philosophy Department faculty in fall 2020. Departmental discussions included the development of a Medical Humanities Minor at UTA. A long-term vision for the program at UTA might include a Medical Humanities Major or an Institute for Medical Humanities. Currently, a Medical Humanities grant request is in progress.

Starting with the student driven creation of the first department of Medical Humanities at Penn State over 50 years ago, students have always appreciated the importance of the humanistic element in healthcare. Medical Humanities informational open houses for students at UTA have been well attended. Currently, organizational efforts are underway in the formation of a student run Medical Humanities organization: Mavericks for Medical Humanities.

Dr. Steven Gellman has been very active in the Medical Humanities program at UTA. His background as a Board Certified Family doctor for over 30 years has provided valuable experience in understanding the doctor-patient relationship and related healthcare concerns. Thru his years of practice, he has learned that patient care is both an art and science. His interest in the art and humanities contributed to his earning a MFA degree in photography. He has seen the need for creativity in medicine when designing individualized treatment plans for patients. His talk at the 2019 Mayo Clinic Medical Humanities conference emphasized including creativity as part of Medical Humanities learning. At the core, Dr. Gellman considers his contribution to Medical Humanities learning a very personal opportunity to give back and to the medical profession and ultimately improve patient healthcare.

Dr. Eli Shupe is a graduate of Rutgers University, where she earned her PhD in Philosophy. Her research focuses on interdisciplinary issues in cognitive science and biomedical ethics. Since joining University of Texas at Arlington in 2020, she has worked with local hospices to integrate experiential learning opportunities into the Medical Humanities and Bioethics curriculum at UTA. Dr. Shupe is also the Founder and Director of Make Philosophy, an open pedagogy project that seeks to make complex philosophical ideas understandable and engaging to learned of all ages.

Please address any questions, suggestions or contributions to Dr. Steven Gellman or Dr. Eli Shupe.