How will this minor enhance my perspective on healthcare?
It encourages you to think critically about the cultural, ethical, and historical factors that shape healthcare practices and patient experiences. Nursing and medical programs increasingly seek out students who have these kinds of backgrounds.
Is this major worthwhile even if I am not pursuing a career in medicine or healthcare?
Absolutely! The purpose of the health humanities program is to broaden your academic horizons and enable you to engage with nuanced situations, within and outside the medical field, with empathy and integrity.
What students can expect:
What kind of courses will I take?
Classes cover topics like bioethics, health and literature, medical history, and the role of the arts in healing.
What is the workload expected to be like?
The program was designed to integrate with most majors already on offer at Wittenberg, and in many cases, students who are attracted to this kind of work declare majors across the humanities and sciences, where many of their required courses can be used as credit for the interdisciplinary minor.
What are the skills I can be expected to gain from participating in the program?
The Health Humanities program boasts an interdisciplinary form of study that gives students the space to develop their close reading skills, focusing primarily on the importance of patients and how they voice their stories and analyzing the historical context of health care practices.
What can you do with a Health Humanities & Equity minor:
How will the major increase my potential job prospects?
The major requires students to complete a two-credit capstone, where they apply what they’ve studied in the classroom to their surrounding communities in the forms of internships, shadowing experiences, and/or directed research about a health topic that they are passionate about. In essence, students who successful complete the capstone gain experience they can add to their resumes, making them more attractive applicants for their future job prospects.
Will this program prepare me for medical school or other graduate programs?
Without a doubt! The Health Humanities program complements pre-med and other healthcare tracks by providing a broader understanding of patient care, cultural competency, and ethical decision-making, which are valuable skills for medical school and beyond.
