0005 516H Humanities
Patient, Physician and Drama

Instructor(s): Stephen S. Lefrak, MD Professor of Medicine Director, Humanities Program in Medicine

Course Summary:

The enterprise of medicine affects human life and values in ways, which cannot be foreseen, even by those most intimately involved. Thus clinical medicine is at its foundation a moral enterprise. While ethical discourse is one means to investigate and describe this enterprise, clinical medicine is far too complex to be reduced to scientific, ethical, or any other specialized language. Therefore narrative, as “simple” as story telling can be a potent tool in learning and studying the events in the clinical arena. Narrative may take many forms and drama has much to offer as a way to both learn and investigate human problems and interaction in the clinical arena.

It is a truism to state that there are complex relationships involved in the interaction between patient and physician, however successful communication is a critical building block for the physician patient relationship. Communication depends on many skills and knowledge bases, including verbal skills, body language, story telling, ethical discourse, and understanding of the “self” and “the other”. Developing and improving these skills is critical throughout the career of a “healer”.

In this selective the students will interact with theatre professionals in short dramas that are centered about medical themes. The goals will be to achieve a level of performance of the drama as well as an understanding of the issues portrayed. Importantly the students will learn how to effectively convey emotion and information in a manner most likely to be received by patients.

Social and ethical issues are critical in the enterprise of medicine. However they are not separate from the care of the individual patient nor from the interaction of the physician, patient and family

Teaching Objective:
· Students will kindle a life long interest in the importance of narrative/drama in the understanding of complex human problems.
· Students will develop skills of voice, language and action, which will improve communication between patient and physician.
· Students will become conversant with basic principles of psychology that enable the students to achieve the goals elucidated in number two above.
· Elucidate the complexity of human problems (ethical, social, personal) as they occur in and characterize the medical setting.
· Join a cohort of students who can provide performances of “medical reader’s theater” to the medical school and outside community when requested, and produce a creditable performance of a piece of “Reader’s Theater”.

Course Requirements:
· Attend all class sessions
· Participate in class discussions and activities
· Complete course evaluation form




Class Format:

· Interactive and participatory

Time:

3:30-5:00 p.m.

Date:

11/04/2009
11/09/2009
11/11/2009
11/16/2009
11/18/2009

POM I Concert Reading, Follow Your Heart

Rehearsal - Friday, April 9, 2010 @ 3:30pm Moore Auditorium
Performance - Tuesday, April 13, 2010 @ 1:00pm Moore Auditorium

POM II Concert Reading, Laundry

Rehearsal - Thursday, April 29 @ 4:30pm Connor Auditorium
Performance - Friday, April 30 @ 1:00pm Connor Auditorium


Location: Farrell Learning and Teaching small group room 211