Integration of behavioral, social, and humanities sciences into healthcare and education and their alignment with medical education programs

• Published in: Medical teacher 2024-08, p.1-11
• Main Authors: Gülpınar, Mehmet Ali, Tanrıöver, Özlem
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0142-159X; 1466-187X; 1466-187X
• DOI: 10.1080/0142159X.2024.2377384

There has been an increasing acknowledgment of the intricacies inherent in health and healthcare processes, leading to a shift in medical education. This change underscores multidimensional, thorough, reflective, and contextual approaches characterized by mutual interaction and change. The perception of health/well-being and illness is transitioning toward acknowledging them as outcomes arising from the complex interplay of individual, social, and environmental/ecosystemic factors. This includes biological, genetic, behavioral, sociocultural, and environmental influences. In line with this changing perspective, the purpose of this article is to provide a general framework for the integration of behavioral, social, and human sciences into Medical Education Programs in Healthcare and Training Processes. The framework presented is based on the following three conceptual and theoretical basis: (1) Complex systems thinking and reflective, contextual healthcare and education practices, (2) Health systems and socio-economic-political framework, (3) Ecosystem framework in health and disease. Our aim in this article is to provide a guide for the integration of Behavioral, Social, and Humanity Sciences into medical education programs and to present examples from around the world.