Students can earn a bachelor’s degree and a Master of Arts in only five years
October 2021 – Drew University and Drew’s Caspersen School of Graduate Studies have launched a new Medical Humanities, Health, and Society Dual-Degree program.
The program is one of six new options added to the University’s extensive offering of Dual-Degree programs with Caspersen, Drew Theological School, and other partnering universities, including Columbia, NYU, and Duke.
The interdisciplinary program allows Drew undergraduate students to dual enroll in graduate courses during their junior or senior year. Students will spend four years at Drew University and one year at Caspersen, allowing undergraduate students to shave a year—and the corresponding costs—to obtain a Master of Arts in Medical Humanities, Health, and Society.
The humanities, which cultivates a deep commitment to critical reflection and analysis, forms the basis to enrich all graduate programs at Caspersen. The Medical and Health Humanities program stands at the core of humanizing medicine and care.
“I chose the Medical and Health Humanities program at Drew because it does not want to take away from scientific findings, but emphasizes that humanities can provide additional perspectives to the sciences,” said Anica Lazetic G’22. “The program focuses on educational resources that uncover a diverse way of thinking about human history, culture, behavior, and experience. These resources teach students to practice patient-centered care and properly analyze, evaluate, and impact healthcare practices and priorities.”
"This program brings students humanistic approaches to transform health care by addressing ethical, medical, and social challenges such as inequity, disparities, and workforce burnout. It teaches a better understanding of the human and social condition, including listening to the needs of patients, their families, and health professionals in all health contexts."
Now, more than ever, there is a growing demand for professionals who are trained and understand the ethical, political, historical, cultural, and practical aspects of healthcare. Engaging today’s patient concerns, including the relationship between health care as scientific knowledge and evidence-based medicine and the intangible needs and qualitative experience of professionals, patients, and their families.
“Fostering health and humanizing health care is the mission of the low residency Master of Arts in Medical Humanities, Health, and Society,” said Merel Visse, associate professor and director of the Medical and Health Humanities program.
“Students learn about how health, well-being, and medicine intersect with the humanities and creative arts. This program brings students humanistic approaches to transform health care by addressing ethical, medical, and social challenges such as inequity, disparities, and workforce burnout. It teaches a better understanding of the human and social condition, including listening to the needs of patients, their families, and health professionals in all health contexts.”
Learn more about the six new offerings here, and see our full list of options here.
