Introduction

The integration of the humanities into medical education remains a topic of considerable scholarly debate, with ongoing discussions focusing on quantifiable learning outcomes and the most effective pedagogical methods. While interest in these subjects is growing, understanding the lasting, lived impact of such coursework is complex. A recent analysis of a long-running medical humanities course in Sweden provides deep insight into how students perceive the contribution of art, literature, and history to a modern medical practice.

Understanding the Scope of Influence

The study analyzed perceptions from two angles: immediate course evaluations completed by students, and alumni surveys sent years later to practicing physicians. By comparing these two datasets, the research aimed to assess whether the benefits derived from the coursework remained relevant long after graduation. The findings consistently highlight a multidimensional impact, extending beyond mere academic knowledge.

Key areas of perceived impact include:

Enhanced empathy and perspective‑taking
Improved self‑awareness and reflective capacity
Strengthened communication skills
Broader contextual understanding of illness and care
Support for professional identity formation
Greater tolerance for ambiguity and complexity

The research emphasizes that the findings are based on student self-report and perception, suggesting a valuable, but subjective, measure of the humanities' influence on professional identity.

The Long View: From Classroom to Career

The most compelling insights emerged from the alumni survey, which tracked how course concepts related to real-world practice. Alumni reported that the course content provided frameworks for understanding the human context of care, both in routine encounters and in times of crisis.

The lasting influence appears to revolve around approaching care holistically. Several participants noted how the curriculum prepared them to see the patient within a broader context, rather than viewing them as merely a set of symptoms.

If we do not continue to have a soulful and intellectual connection to what we do in healthcare, then we easily run the risk as doctors of becoming the bureaucrats of the body...

This suggests that the humanities function to counterbalance the potential mechanistic nature of medical roles, encouraging practitioners to maintain a focus on the individual human person.

Navigating the Debate: Utility vs. Intrinsic Value

A key tension explored in the literature, and noted by participants in this study, is the balance between the "instrumental justification" of humanities—proving they lead to better outcomes—versus acknowledging their intrinsic worth.

One student voiced this complexity, questioning the pressure to prove value: "Am I supposed to read literature to remain humane? Reducing the humanities to some confined set of expected learning outcomes—it is almost a paradox." This reflection underscores that while the curriculum has clearly informed students, the conversation around the subject itself—whether its value lies in measurable skills or in fostering a deeper sense of wonder—is still active in medicine.

For medical students and educators interested in enriching curriculum beyond foundational sciences, this review suggests that incorporating arts and humanities can reinforce critical capacities like perspective-taking and self-awareness, making the journey into professional practice more comprehensive.

Original Article

Bernhardsson K, Mathieu C, Tejera A, Hagander L. The Enduring Effects of Medical Humanities on Medical Students: Short- and Long-Term Impacts of 15 Years of Teaching a Medical Humanities Course in a Swedish Medical Degree program. Journal of Medical Humanities [Internet]. 2025 Aug 30;47(1):85–104. Available from: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10912-025-09975-0