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Humanism and the Physician

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Humanism and Resilience in Residency Training

Abstract

In this chapter, the authors define humanism in medicine while exploring its value, impact, and barriers. The authors understand medicine as an endeavor of service to human health and well-being. Comprehensive and effective postgraduate medical education includes not only support for the acquisition of relevant scientific knowledge and skill by trainees, but also support for their development as reflective, moral, ethical, and compassionate physicians. Biomedical competence and a humanistic approach to the practice of medicine are of shared importance, together enhancing the quality of care for patients while at the same time contributing to the wellness and resilience of humanistic physicians.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Department of Family Medicine, Hamilton, ON, Canada

    Heather Waters, Christine Foster, Sarah Kinzie & Joyce Zazulak

  2. Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Department of Medicine, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Dilshan Pieris

Authors
  1. Heather Waters
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  2. Christine Foster
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  3. Dilshan Pieris
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  4. Sarah Kinzie
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  5. Joyce Zazulak
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Heather Waters .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, Division of Geriatric Psychiatry, Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, ON, Canada

    Ana Hategan

  2. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada

    Karen Saperson

  3. McMaster Children’s Hospital, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada

    Sheila Harms

  4. Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Department of Family Medicine, Hamilton, ON, Canada

    Heather Waters

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Waters, H., Foster, C., Pieris, D., Kinzie, S., Zazulak, J. (2020). Humanism and the Physician. In: Hategan, A., Saperson, K., Harms, S., Waters, H. (eds) Humanism and Resilience in Residency Training. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-45627-6_1

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