Developing New Academic Programs in the Medical/Health Humanities: A Toolkit to Support Continued Growth

• Published in: The Journal of medical humanities 2021-12, Vol.42 (4), p.523-534
• Main Authors: Klugman, Craig M., Bracken, Rachel Conrad, Weatherston, Rosemary I., Konefal, Catherine Burns, Berry, Sarah L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cultural and Media Studies; Curriculum; Humanities; Literature; Program Development; Regional and Cultural Studies; Surveys and Questionnaires; Theory of Medicine/Bioethics
• ISSN: 1041-3545; 1573-3645
• DOI: 10.1007/s10912-021-09710-5

Academic programs in the medical/health humanities have proliferated widely in recent years, and the professional, academic, and cultural drivers of this growth promise sustained new program development. In this article, we present the results of a survey sent to representatives of one hundred twenty-four baccalaureate and ten graduate programs in the medical/health humanities to assess the experiences and needs of existing programs. Survey results confirm the interest in and need for a descriptive toolkit as opposed to a prescriptive manual; indicate what data and materials are most needed to support the successful development of new academic programs in the field; and identify areas for future research. Recognizing a need for program development resources, the Health Humanities Consortium (HHC) has initiated the creation of a comprehensive online toolkit. We discuss survey results and the toolkit in relation to the drivers of new program growth. Finally, we describe resources now available through the HHC’s new online program toolkit, including existing programs; sample syllabi; sample curricula templates; program rationale; proposal templates; and graduation data.