A career in healthcare has numerous different pathways and not each one is the same. Some students choose the traditional track, while others try a different approach to success. Jordan "Mint" Sewell can attest to this.
Often, those in the healthcare field struggle to balance their own personal beliefs surrounding medicine and those of their patients. This interdisciplinary major allows students to learn how to respect their patients' beliefs while providing care that works for them.
"I thought the humanities and ethics aspect was really important because I feel like the biggest things those classes teach you is empathy and how to care for other people who may not be like you," Sewell said.
Those who choose to major in this program must complete two certificates from a list of options that focus on ethical and humanities aspects of healthcare. Some of these include disability studies, bioethics and narrative medicine.
The narrative medicine certificate focuses on combining both literary and medical perspectives, highlighting patients' stories and how their lives affect their health. Students must also choose a minor to go along with their certificates. Any minor can fulfill this, but popular choices include sociology, history and English.
The flexibility of the degree allows students to focus on topics within the healthcare field that interest them and gives them the opportunity to gain skills or insights that students might not get with a traditional major, says Cheli Reutter, director of the liberal arts in medicine, health and society program.
"The liberal arts and medicine degree truly does provide a skill set, an approach, and a framework," Reutter said. "That's also part of what I appreciated about Mint so much. She leveraged that, and she made us proud."
Sewell was recently accepted into two master programs at John Hopkins University. She plans to start next fall, with a focus on population, family and reproductive health.
Her success showcases how the flexibility of this major allows students to create their own professional path and career while having success along the way.
"I remember when I dropped pre-med, I was like 'what am I going to do?' Sewell said. "But there's tons and tons of things out there to do."
Many students still pursue pre-medicine while majoring in the medicine, health and society program. Rather than adding a minor, students have the option to add the pre-medical certificate instead. This allows students to gain the science courses needed to be admitted into medical school, while still gaining the humanities aspect that the liberal degree offers.
"You get the best of both worlds this way," said Reutter. "With the pre-med certificate you still are getting all of the classes that a biology major would give you and that a medical school expects out of you."
Some students also choose to double major with the pre-medicine track and the medicine, health and society program, giving them a wider range of skills.
"For undergraduate students in Medical Sciences (College of Medicine) pre-med majors in A&S, psychology, neurosciences, and more, or with interests in pre-health professions or healthcare, the LA-MHS is a great 'wrap-around' second major or a stand-alone major!" Reutter said.
Sewell encourages students interested in the medical field to look into the medicine, health and society program.
"I think it's so amazing because it's different," Sewell said. "It looks different when you apply to medical school, if you go that path. You can customize it, and med schools really like that more humanities focus."
Featured image at top: Vegetables bursting out of a capsule. Credit: healthaidealways for Pixabay.
