Caring is not an idea one typically couples with polymathy. The polymath is simply defined as a person who has mastered multiple areas of expertise and integrates them to innovate and problem solve. But what if caring was added as fundamental principle of polymathy? Dr. Pamela Schaff fits this more complete polymathic model, who, while serving as associate professor of clinical pediatrics at the Keck School of Medicine, is also in her spare time working on her Ph.D. in English and creative writing. Her motivation is simple: she believes exposure to the arts and humanities will make her and her students better, more compassionate doctors. “For all its scientific advances,” Schaff explains, “medicine remains very much an art – one that hinges on listening, observing and interpreting narratives.” In other words, she wants to produce caring doctors. At Keck, Professor Schaff directs HEAL (an acronym for Humanities, Ethics, Art, and Law), a program that promotes a new line of inquiry, narrative medicine. Narrative competence will, Schaff believes, enable students to “interpret and act on the stories that their patients share. This ability fosters empathy in medical students,” which will be of great benefit to their future patients and their own personal fulfillment. “We want to make sure our students practice with compassionate brilliance.” Join Professor Schaff in conversation on the importance of bringing caring into the polymathic mix.
Apr
26
2017
When: 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM
Where: Harman Academy
Event Type: Polymathic Pizza
Where: Harman Academy
Event Type: Polymathic Pizza
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