The Medical Humanities Certificate bridges the gap between biomedicine and the cultural aspects of health by uncovering the ways that social and political structures shape experiences of illness and disability and even determine healthcare access and outcomes. The certificate trains students to mobilize skills from the liberal arts to scrutinize complex issues within the natural sciences and medicine. Such an interdisciplinary approach produces healthcare practitioners better prepared to grapple with the ethical complexities of modern medicine and, crucially, to communicate such intricacy to diverse stakeholders. By learning to apply the humanistic skills of interpretation, reflection, and subjectivity to subjects of medicine, students will enhance their ability to evaluate sources, analyze evidence, and formulate arguments. These skills are instrumental for developing fact literacy and combating the ongoing erosion of public trust in science, all of which are essential and necessary skills for competitive job candidates.

Students with questions about this certificate may contact Dr. Jakob Burnham, Department of History (Jakob.burnam@unt.edu).