History
of the University of Virginia
Center for Humanism in Medicine
1990
The Program of Humanities in Medicine of the University of Virginia School of Medicine was founded by Dean Robert M. Carey, established and directed by Edward W. Hook, M.D., chair emeritus of the Department of Internal Medicine.
1991
The Medical Center Hour, established in 1971 by former Dean Thomas H. Hunter and ethicist Joseph Fletcher, came under the aegis of Humanities in Medicine.
1991-1992
The program offered its first elective courses for fourth-year medical students, including Religion and Medicine, Literature and Medicine, History of Medicine, Anthropology and Medicine, Death and Dying, and Healing Options.
1994
The annual weekend Literature and Medicine Reading Retreat began for alumni physicians and their spouses and partners; medical students' writings first published in Humanities in Medicine.
1996
Marcia Day Childress, Ph.D., and Julia E. Connelly, M.D., appointed co-directors of program. Elective offerings expanded to ten courses: Religion, Literature, History, Healing Options, Death and Dying, Anthropology, Social Work, Images of Medicine in Film, Violence and Independent Research in Humanities.
1999
Margaret E. Mohrmann, M.D., Ph.D., joined program's core faculty, with bridge appointment to Department of Religious Studies. Medical Spanish elective first offered.
2000
Humanities in Medicine and the Center for Biomedical Ethics moved into renovated, shared suite on fifth floor of Barringer wing. Annual publication of medical student creative work became student-edited and was named Veritas.
1998-2002
Spirituality and Medicine Curriculum developed with grants from National Institute for Healthcare Research (1998-2002) and Fannie E. Rippel Foundation (2000-2002). Spirituality and Medicine elective began.
2000-2001
Clinical Conversations, reflective small-group discussions involving program faculty, began as part of Clinical Connections Days for third-year medical students.
2001-2002
Interprofessional Seminar in Ethical Values and Professional Life began as pilot course for law, medical and humanities graduate students, sponsored by the Institute for Practical Ethics.
2002
David Morris, Ph.D., joined the core faculty as University Professor, with a bridge appointment to the Department of English. Interprofessional Seminars began as credit electives for students of medicine and law; Clinical Conversations began adding fourth-year nursing students to groups.
2003-2004
Gold Humanism in Medicine Honor Society chapter at the University founded and first students inducted. Elementary Medical Spanish, an intermediate precursor to Medical Spanish, began, and The Healer's Art, a curriculum developed at the UCSF medical school, piloted as a noncredit elective. Veritas became available on the Web for the first time.
In 2004 the Mindful Practice/Mindful Life elective began, and Clinical Reflection (formerly Clinical Conversations) included, for the first time, all fourth-year nursing students. Dr. Julie Connelly received an Academy of Distinguished Educators' grant to assess the impact of humanities electives on students' empathy.
2004-2005
Mindful Practice/Mindful Life elective began. Clinical Reflection (formerly Clinical Conversations) included all fourth-year nursing students. Dr. Connelly received Academy of Distinguished Educators grant to assess impact of humanities electives on students' empathy. Humanities in Medicine completes self-study and program review.
May 2005
Center for Humanism in Medicine created by Dean Tim Garson to build on Humanities in Medicine, foster professionalism and renewal among students and faculty, as well as create faculty development opportunities. Daniel Becker, M.D., M.P.H., M.F.A., appointed center director, and Marcia Day Childress named associate director.
2005-2006
Four-part courses in both writing and Leadership in Humanistic Medicine were offered to medical school faculty, for continuing medical education credit. Hunter Groninger, M.D., joined center's core faculty.