Health professionals prepared for the future. Why Social Sciences and Humanities teaching in Medical Faculties matter

Abstract

A public debate took place place in France in 2018 concerning ethical and social issues of biomedicine and life science and technologies. As faculty members of French medical schools and scholars in Social Sciences and Humanities, we contributed to introduce the central theme of health professionals education. What roles and what place should we assign to the social sciences and Humanities in preparing health professionals who will work in a transforming and largely unpredictable context? In this paper, we list 4 crucial issues for the present and the future of healthcare profession, concerning changes of medical roles; new biomedical concepts and innovations; long term consequences on health social contract; ethical issues in health care daily life settings. Then, we list 4 kinds of resources that are brought to students by Social Sciences and Humanities courses. They concern the connection to patients's experiences the social and cultural construction of these experiences; the social responsibility of medical doctors; and the independence of their professional judgments. This is a plea for the development of reflexivity and critical thought backed up by well identified, well integrated and sufficiently developed Social Sciences and Humanities courses in French medical schools.

Why UK dental education should take a greater interest in the behavioural and social sciences

“…Concepts of health, illness and disease are social constructs, changing over time and influenced by a range of individual, social, economic, historical and cultural factors. 11,12,13 In this way, BeSS can expose the limits of a biomedical approach to dentistry and its subsequent conceptualisation as a 'drill and fill' discipline. Conceptualisation of oral health as a biopsychosocial phenomenon 13,14,15 facilitates recognition of the social determinants of health 16 and acknowledges dentistry as a 'biobehavioural' 17 discipline.…”

“…25 BeSS also raise an awareness of the types of inequalities or barriers that can impede access to healthcare and how healthcare systems are organised to deliver care to populations. 11,12,13 In this way they promote evidence-based dentistry and enable dentists as positive agents of change who promote oral health equity within their community. 26,27 Professional development…”

L’intégration des sciences humaines et sociales dans les formations en santé : passer par les arts et le cinéma pour relever les défis

“…Elles défont les présupposés d'un idéal médical orienté vers la technique, le pouvoir et la science, et promeuvent la collaboration avec les patients sur le terrain de l'enseignement, de la recherche et des soins. (traduction libre) [4].…”