Abstract Details

Title An Approach to a Neurohumanities Elective for Medical Students

Topic ��ɫ��, Research, and Methodology

Presentation(s) P2 - Poster Session 2 (11:45 AM-12:45 PM)

Poster/Presentation
Number 15-003

Objective To provide a phenomenological approach for a medical student elective in the neurohumanities based on firsthand experience designing and implementing such an elective.

Background While neurology is a field rooted in scientific rigor, it also inherently engages questions of meaning, perception, and personhood. Medical training, however, often leaves little room for such structured reflection. The neurohumanities--an interdisciplinary field at the intersection of neuroscience/medicine and lived experience--offers a framework to restore this reflective counterbalance. This project sought to explore how a neurohumanities elective could be feasibly incorporated into the fourth-year coursework of a medical student without adding significant curricular burden.

Design/Methods A medical student collaborated with neurology faculty to design a self-guided elective comprising (1) a personalized reading and film syllabus focused on a specific topic of interest of the student's choosing (in this case, surrealism) and its value in understanding the brain and philosophy of self; (2) experiential enrichment through museum visits; (3) structured reflection via journaling and mentorship meetings longitudinally throughout the year and also during the allotted elective time; and (4) clinical integration through outpatient and inpatient neurology encounters involving patient interviews focused on the subjective experience of disease. A parallel resident–faculty neurohumanities discussion group was developed to sustain interdisciplinary engagement, and is situated in a larger network of neurohumanities nationwide.

Results The elective fostered synthesis between clinical and reflective learning, linking subjective experience with neurological mechanisms. Student reflection revealed enhanced appreciation for the patient perspective, re-engagement with personal motivations in medical training, and novel insights connecting art, philosophy, and neurological function. Faculty and resident participation indicated feasibility for broader curricular incorporation through flexible, mentorship-based design. A final reflection piece was completed as well.

Conclusions A student-led neurohumanities elective centered on reflection, clinical narrative, and the arts has potential to enrich neurology education by promoting empathy, curiosity, and meaning-making in clinical practice.

Authors/Disclosures
Dorothy Yam PRESENTER	Ms. Yam has nothing to disclose.
Cori Polonski, MD (UPMC)	Dr. Polonski has nothing to disclose.

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