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‘The Play’s the Thing’ Among Other Innovations: The Establishment of the Medical College of Wisconsin’s Medical Humanities Program and Its Incorporation of Medical Humanities Into Medical Education

Arthur R. Derse, MD, JD

WMJ. 2026;125(1):174-179.

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ABSTRACT

Background: Leading organizations have recognized that medical schools need greater incorporation of the medical humanities to educate physicians. The Medical College of Wisconsin’s (MCW) Medical Humanities Program, established in 2006, is dedicated to professionalism, communication, empathy, and reflection.

Objectives: This article describes the establishment of MCW’s Medical Humanities Program and its incorporation of medical humanities into medical education.

Methods: Medical humanities are defined, with examples provided, and the history of their development at the MCW and their incorporation into the curriculum over 2 decades is chronicled.

Results: Medical humanities have been successfully incorporated into the curriculum, including 2 courses offered for more than 2 decades and 2 additional courses incorporated for more than 7 years. Longstanding extracurricular offerings further strengthen the medical humanities academic environment.

Conclusions: MCW’s Medical Humanities Program – through its incorporated courses and extracurricular offerings –has established medical humanities as a pillar of the medical school curriculum and, after 2 decades, continues to flourish.

Author affiliations: Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (Derse).
Corresponding author: Arthur R. Derse, MD, JD; Medical College of Wisconsin; 8701 Watertown Plank Rd M1100, Milwaukee, WI 53226-0509; email aderse@mcw.edu; ORCID ID 0000-0003-1896-1849
Financial disclosures: None declared.
Funding/support: None declared.
Acknowledgment: The author wishes to acknowledge the following colleagues for their contributions to the development and success of the MCW Medical Humanities Program: Julia A. Uihlein, MA; Ruric (Andy) Anderson, MD; David Schiedermayer, MD; Melissa Atwood, DO, MA; Theresa Maatman, MD; Janet Retsick, MD, PhD; Bruce Campbell, MD; Annie Friedrich, PhD; Richard Holloway, PhD; Kim Suhr, MFA; Olivia Davies, MD, J. Frank Wilson, MD; Rebecca Rehborg; Chris McLaughlin; Brittany Bettendorf, MD, MFA; Carlyle Chan, MD,; K. Jane Lee, MD, MA; Julie Owen, MD, MBA; Erica Chou, MD; Sarah Lauck, MD; Steven Humphrey, MD; Valerie Carlberg, MD; Teresa Patitucci, PhD; Jennifer Mackinnon, MD, MM; Sean Marks, MD; Richard Katschke, MA; Katinka Hooyer, PhD; Kim Tyler, MD; Yong-ran Zhu, MD; Paul Barkhaus, MD; and Elizabeth A. Fleming, MD.
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