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Scott Harris
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Elissa Fuchs
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Viewpoint

An Accelerating Trend: More Humanism in Medicine

By Arnold P. Gold, M.D., and Sandra O. Gold, Ed.D. Dr. Arnold P. Gold is founder and president of The Arnold P. Gold Foundation, and a professor of clinical neurology and pediatrics at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University. Dr. Sandra O. Gold is co-founder and executive vice president of The Gold Foundation.

In the late 1980s, after teaching at Columbia for many years, it became clear to me that at our institution and elsewhere, students and residents were becoming more enamored with the significant advancements in technology and less involved with the patient. At times, I didn’t even feel there was a patient connected to the MRI, based on student presentations.

Feeling there was a “disconnect,” and that students were undervaluing humanism and professionalism, I began to talk to my wife, Sandra, about the situation. By profession a counselor, she eventually tired of my exasperation and challenged me to do something about it!

Another impetus came from a friend who had a horrific experience with a surgeon and told me, “You are responsible for these doctors.” After a great deal of thought, I decided to act. In 1988, with several colleagues at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and a group of dedicated community leaders and philanthropists, Sandra and I established a vehicle to foster humanism in medicine, which the board named The Arnold P. Gold Foundation.

For an extended period of time, the trustees deliberated to develop concrete ideas and to establish a mission and a strategy. Humanism in medicine is an amorphous concept, and our fledgling board struggled with how to influence the culture of medicine. Of course, we also had to raise the money.

Arnold and the Board assigned that wonderful job to me. Gratefully, the foundation has received support to date from thousands of individuals and several major foundations, including the Russell Berrie Foundation, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Tow Foundation, the Josiah Macy, Jr. Foundation, the Chait Foundation, and the Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey.

A ‘renaissance’ in humanism

Today we are witnessing a renaissance of humanism in medicine, at Columbia and elsewhere throughout the country. There is greater recognition that humanism is integral to the meaningful and satisfying practice of medicine, and a growing understanding that it can influence healing for the patient and contributes to a more positive “bottom line.”

The house of medicine stands on two pillars: science and humanism.

With the participation of many deans and medical educators, programs fostering humanism in medicine seem to be proliferating widely. It would have been impossible for such a small foundation as ours to have achieved so much if there were not a readiness — an eagerness, even — on the part of medical educators to become involved in the process.

Many other professional organizations like the AAMC, the ABIM (American Board of Internal Medicine), the ACGME (Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education), the IOM (Institute of Medicine), and others have implemented important movements and guidelines to address issues relating to humanism and professionalism in medicine. It’s encouraging to be part of this accelerating trend.

We believe that the house of medicine stands on two pillars: science and humanism. Many pressures on medicine have been weakening the pillar of humanism. In our search to bring into better balance these two pillars, the foundation is inviting medical schools to participate in the development of The Gold Humanism Honor Society, a new initiative to recognize those who exemplify both excellence in science and extraordinary compassion in the practice of medicine.

It has been a privilege to work closely with visionary deans and medical educators throughout the country to institutionalize the value of humanism. The widespread acceptance of many of our programs, including the White Coat Ceremony and the Commencement Awards for Humanism (in partnership with the Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey), has been deeply satisfying.

We are inspired to work even harder to help medical schools educate and nurture doctors for our children and grandchildren — doctors who will be exceedingly competent, extraordinarily caring, and strong leaders for a healthier and more humane society.

Editor’s Note: The Gold Foundation (http://www.humanism-in-medicine.org) will be sponsoring a lecture on Humanism in Medicine at the AAMC’s Annual Meeting next month in San Francisco. The lecture will be presented by David Leach, M.D., executive director of the ACGME, and will be held Sat., Nov. 9, at 4 p.m., to be followed by a reception. Academic Medicine is featuring winning essays from the Gold Foundation’s annual essay contest in its September, October, and November issues.