Teaching in Relationship: The Impact on Faculty of Teaching “The Healer's Art”

Abstract

Background: Medical teachers report both positive and negative experiences, but these impacts are not well understood. In particular, the experience of faculty in relationship-centered education is unknown. Purposes: We sought to assess the benefits to teachers of the Healer's Art, a popular international medical school elective course. Methods: We performed quantitative and qualitative analyses of course evaluations completed by 2009–10 Healer's Art faculty from 17 schools. Results: Ninety-nine of 117 faculty (84.6%) completed the evaluation. No differences in quantitative responses based on gender, specialty, medical school, or year of graduation were observed. Respondents were likely or very likely to agree that the course was useful, positively impacted clinical work and teaching, and increased overall commitment to teaching. In describing the benefits of teaching in the Healer's Art, faculty emphasized four themes: Personal Response to Medicine, Professional Growth, Greater Connection, and Greater Empathy and Respect for Students. Conclusions: Healer's Art faculty report personal and professional benefits, as well as increased commitment to teaching and to a relationship-centered educational process.

Keywords:

• medical education
• humanism
• meaning in medicine
• relationship-centered education

Acknowledgments

Some of the research described in this article was presented at the Association of American Medical Colleges in November 2012, as well as at the Annual Conference of the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine, February 2012. Dr. Rabow is a course faculty member at UCSF and Director of the Center for the Study of the Healer's Art. Dr. Remen is the Founder and Director of the Healer's Art course and the UCSF course director. We acknowledge the deep and sustained commitment and colleagueship of Healer's Art course directors and faculty. We are particularly appreciative of the Healer's Art course directors and faculty who participated in this study. Judith Wrubel, Ph.D., provided expert consultation on our study design and analysis. Shelly Adler, Ph.D., offered a careful and thoughtful review of our manuscript. Diane Duchesne, R.N., CHPN, Associate Director of the Healer's Art, supports the national and international dissemination of the course, coordinates the community of course directors, and ensures the course's impeccably consistent quality. We are indebted to all these professionals for their generosity, their expertise, and their wisdom.