Dr. Bryan Pilkington (left), Department of Interprofessional Health Sciences and Health Administration; Dr. KC Choi (second from left), Department of Religion; Dr. Yvonne Unna (second from right), Department of Philosophy; Dr. Thomas Rzeznik (right), Department of History

The IHS Campus welcomed colleagues from the South Orange campus for a reprisal of Only Philosophers and Theologians Make Good Doctors on April 29th. Dr. KC Choi, Department of Religion, and Dr. Yvonne Unna, Department of Philosophy, joined Dr. Bryan Pilkington, Department of Interprofessional Health Sciences and Health Administration in the School of Health and Medical Sciences, to discuss the role of the humanities in health care education. The discussion was facilitated by the moderator, Dr. Thomas Rzeznik, and his careful framing of the relevant issues. Each engaged the resources of their discipline to help members of the audience think through challenging questions about healthcare ethics and the medical humanities. Dr. Choi argued that theologians can play an important role in serving as 'watchdogs' for healthcare practices while Dr. Unna argued for the importance of philosophy of medicine for the study of medicine. Dr. Pilkington discussed different approaches to bioethics. All three concluded in favor of the importance of the humanities for healthcare practice, which is a strong recommendation for the new Medical Humanities minor at SHU. This minor provides an interdisciplinary approach to medicine and healthcare, as it brings together humanities, social sciences, and the arts. 

Dr. Brian B. Shulman, Dean of the School of Health and Medical Sciences, commented on the event saying that, "the inclusion of humanities is vital for the growth of those in the healthcare professions. It allows us to better understand people and to deliver effective healthcare."

This reprised event (the first engagement took place at South Orange in March) raised important questions about the interprofessional nature of healthcare and about the best approaches to educating future healthcare practitioners. This event illustrated the importance of working together across our campuses as Seton Hall University as we aim to transform healthcare through interprofessional collaboration, optimizing patient outcomes for all individuals within our community, and beyond.