Season 1
Medical Humanities
The medical humanities is an interdisciplinary field that involves literature, philosophy, but also dance, art to explore illness, which is the experience of disease.
In this series we talk to individuals who tell us not only is developing your interest in the humanities possible in medicine, but also necessary and crucial in shaping the future of medicine. We talk to leaders of the medical humanities in hospitals, academic research and Medical Education efforts. But also individuals who so called “did” the medical humanities before it was even called the medical humanities in Singapore, doctor-writers, and how their art shapes their clinical practice.
Season Trailer
EP 7
What is the role of medical humanities in the hospital?
In the first part of the two-part series, we talk to Dr Devanand Anantham about the role of the Medical Humanities in the hospital.
He shares the possibilities of infusing the humanities into the teaching of medicine and clinical practice and an upcoming programme aims to instil in healthcare professionals a deeper understanding of sickness and suffering through various disciplines such as philosophy, religion, and literature.
Listen now on Spotify, Google Podcast, and Apple Podcast.
EP 8
How can the medical humanities grow in Singapore?
In the second part of our interview with Dr Devanand, we discuss how the medical humanities can grow further in Singapore.
Along the way, Dr Devanand shares his insights into the value of Narrative Medicine and the implications of Defensive Medicine on how clinicians approach their work today. We end the interview by discussing what his favourite books are.
Listen now on Spotify, Google Podcast, and Apple Podcast.
Dr. Devanand Anatham
Director of SingHealth Medical Humanities
Head of SingHealth Duke-NUS Lung Centre
Dr Maleena Suppiah Cavert
Deputy Director of Clinical Education at National University Health System
EP 9
What is empathy, really?
Empathy is one of the most proverbial concepts that medical school inculcates and healthcare professionals aim to convey - but what does empathy truly mean and entail?
In this episode, Dr. Maleena Suppiah Cavert draws insights from her PhD thesis on healthcare professionals developing empathy from art and discusses with us the different types of empathy, how one can learn to be empathetic and what doctors can learn from the service industry regarding empathy.
Listen to this episode on Spotify, Google Podcast, and Apple Podcast.
EP 10
How to write while running a full-time clinical practice?
The professional demands of a career in healthcare can present multitudes of challenges in achieving work-life balance. However, Dr Chang Tou Liang presents a different possibility - undertaking the role of a classical music reviewer for Straits Times for 23 years whilst being a full-time General Practitioner.
In this episode, Dr Chang shares with us how he pursues his lifelong passion for classical music through the Singapore Symphony Orchestra and writing for The Straits Times. He also talks about how his musical interests have complemented his role as a physician and and has led to chanced encounters with several interesting people in his work.
Listen to this episode on Spotify, Google Podcast, and Apple Podcast.
Dr Chang Tou Liang
General Practitioner
Classical Music Reviewer for The Straits Times
Dr Justin Ker
Neurosurgeon at National Neuroscience Institute
Writer
EP 11
Why do Doctors write?
In this first part of our interview with Dr Justin Ker, a neurosurgeon and author of the collection of short stories “The Space between the Raindrops”, we discuss themes of his short stories, why there is a phenomenom of neurosurgeon-writers, gives his two cents on empathy and the medical humanities.
Listen to this episode on Spotify, Google Podcast, and Apple Podcast.
EP 12
How Do Doctors Write?
In the second part of our interview, Dr Ker reflects on his identity as doctor-writer and discusses his writing process and future writing projects. He also gives some advice for students considering writing seriously.
EP 13
What can the Medical Humanities do for Medical Students in Singapore?
In the first of our two-part interview, A/Prof Matthews provides a broad overview to the Medical Humanities, an interdisciplinary field that draws from literature, philosophy and history, to understand illness or the experience of disease. He also introduces us to developments within the field, including Critical Medical Humanities, the works of Katherine Montgomery and Rita Charon, and explore key themes of empathy and uncertainty.
EP 14
What can the Medical Humanities do beyond Education?
In the second half of our two-part interview, we discuss work by NTU Medical Humanities by both undergraduate and graduate students to the wider community but also efforts to engage and include experiences of illness from around the region in South East Asia.
Associate Professor Graham Matthews
Head of English and Coordinator of the Medical Humanities Research Cluster
Nanyang Technological University (NTU)
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