Project Designation: Project in Medical Humanities
Funding Entity: ULICES
Principal Researcher (2017-June 2022): Isabel Fernandes
Principal Researcher (July 2022-): Teresa Casal
Co-responsible: Cecilia Beecher Martins
Research Unit: ULICES
Partners: School of Pharmacy ULisboa (FFUL); School of Medicine ULisboa (FMUL); School of Psychology ULisboa (FPUL); Institute of Social and Political Sciences, ULisboa; School of Nursing, Lisbon (ESEL); Health School, Polytechnic Institute of Setúbal; Centre for Humanities (CHAM), U NOVA Lisboa; School of Social Sciences and Humanities (FCSH), U NOVA Lisboa; King’s College London; U Paris-Déscartes; U Strasburg; Fondazione ISTUD, Milan; HEAL: Health, Environment, Arts and Literature, U Oviedo; Skenè Research Centre, U Verona.
Duration: 2017- ongoing
Website: https://humanidadesmedicas.letras.ulisboa.pt/eng
Overall description:
The Project in Medical Humanities (PMH) promotes this emerging interdisciplinary field by using the knowledge and methods of the arts and humanities in the general area of health sciences and in close collaboration with health care providers. The aim is to improve the quality of health care by promoting the humanistic training of health professionals and students in health care (and other areas), and by valuing and honouring the voice and perspective of both patients and carers.
PMH is an expansion of the Project in Narrative Medicine, which was launched in 2009 and introduced the field of Narrative Medicine in Portugal. PMH builds on the work developed within two FCT-funded projects: “Narrative & Medicine: (Con)texts and Practices Across Disciplines” (2013-15); and SHARE – Health and Humanities Acting Together (ref. PTDC/LLT-OUT/29231/2017). It seeks to consolidate three main areas: academic research; education and training; and praxis/field work. To that effect, it relies on the expertise of a multidisciplinary team, with researchers and consultants from areas such as Literature, Medicine, Nursing, Visual and Film Studies, Philosophy, Ethics, Psychology, Pharmacy, Epidemiology, Sociology, and Physiotherapy, and involves national and international partners.
Its regular activities include:
- advanced education and training at ULisboa’s School of Arts and Humanities: postgraduate seminar within the MA and PhD in Modern Literatures, Arts and Cultures (since 2022-23); Open Course in NM (since 2012);
- advanced education and training at School of Medicine (FMUL): elective courses in NM and Medical Humanities in the Integrated Master in Medicine; seminar in Medical Humanities in Master in Palliative Care;
- lecture series – https://humanidadesmedicas.letras.ulisboa.pt/en/events/tag/conferences
- permanent seminars – https://humanidadesmedicas.letras.ulisboa.pt/en/events/tag/simposios/1
- facilitation of in-person and hybrid NM groups for healthcare providers.
