What is the value of studying the humanities in the field of health professions?

Please reply to the following classmates post.

What is the value of studying the humanities in the field of health professions?

Studying humanities will help health practitioners to develop humanistic competence. It will help them establish a sense of the relationship between their patients and clients, which enables them to listen, care, and acknowledge their clients, which is very much needed in giving health care. “Understanding this will help medical professionals to remember the purpose of their own art: to enable people to participate fully in life unhampered as far as is possible by illness or disability” (Macnaughton, 2000, Section 2, para. 1).

How might a topic such as art, literature, music, dance, etc. from other time periods enhance your career and personal life in the present?

These works of art are representations of society’s norms and culture. Knowing some of these works enables us to be knowledgeable about society’s culture and be able to adapt to it. This form of art such as literature has values and lessons in life that we can use in our daily existence. “According to Harvard professor Helen Vendler, the humanities comprise “the study of human expressiveness and its fabrications in the arts, the study of consciousness bent on self-understanding” (Vendler, 2014).

Select one aspect of the humanities that is meaningful to your personal life and one for your career. Explain how is each meaningful.

Language is a very important aspect of humanity, as it is used in all fields and areas. Even in our daily lives, language plays a significant role, for example in teaching, language plays a vital role. Individuals practicing in health care use language in communicating with their clients. The choice of word used in health care matters because it plays a vital role in giving health care advice. Using medical terms with our clients can build a language barrier, which will make communication difficult. The right thing to do as a health care professional is to communicate with our client using basic language with no medical terms to avoid miscommunication. 

In addition, include a specific example of a work (a specific work of art, literature, theater, or music) that you feel is meaningful to your personal life and/or career. Explain the connection.

Music therapy is an important session for our clients especially patients who have experienced a life-changing event like amputation either from an infection or an accident. Music therapists assess emotional well-being, physical health, social functioning, communication abilities, and cognitive skills through musical responses. There are designed music sessions for individuals and groups based on client needs using music improvisation, receptive music listening, songwriting, and lyric discussion. It is also a way for the therapist to assess if the patient is gradually accepting their new life or if the patient is still in denial, all this can affect the patient’s recovery process.