March 23, 2012

By Ron Hartung

One of the pre-eminent voices in academic medicine offered a glimpse into the future of U.S. health care – and praise for the College of Medicine – in a special Grand Rounds on March 22.

Jordan Cohen, M.D., former president of the Association of American Medical Colleges and current chairman of the Arnold P. Gold Foundation, spoke on the role of humanism in the reform of health care.

“Humanism,” he said, “provides the passion needed to sustain one’s commitment to professionalism.”

Whereas professionalism is a way of acting, Cohen described humanism as a way of being. The humanistic physician demonstrates attributes such as integrity, compassion and respect.

“Professionalism and humanism are intimately connected in the virtuous physician,” he said. But in the absence of humanism, he worries that professionalism can depend too much on good intentions.

Though Cohen has spoken countless times about humanism, he said this was his first talk specifically on humanism’s essential role in the reform of health care. As he looks ahead, he sees not just reform but transformation, along with “major paradigm shifts.”

For example, physicians accustomed to great autonomy must get used to increased accountability. And those who’ve enjoyed being captain of the health-care team must learn the new role of teammate. He welcomes the changes; he characterized the current system as not broken but simply outmoded, overwhelmed by new challenges. Yet in the effort to fulfill the many new expectations placed on physicians, Cohen foresees many opportunities for unprofessional behavior.

Part of the long-term solution, he said, is to educate future physicians in a new way, prepare them for these new expectations and nurture their humanistic tendencies. Those steps are all being taken at Florida State, with its “forward-looking way of educating students and introducing them to the future of medicine,” Cohen said: “Others should emulate what you are doing. You are living it.”

He said this was his first visit to the College of Medicine.

“I’ve just been overwhelmed by the quality and the passion and the commitment that these students have,” he said. “That really speaks volumes for the success of the model of medical education that you’ve introduced here.”

Cohen’s lecture was the first of what organizers hope will be annual Humanism in Medicine Grand Rounds.

Since 2007, the College of Medicine has had a Gold Humanism Honor Society chapter. The GHHS, an initiative of the Gold Foundation, honors senior medical students, residents, role-model physician teachers and others recognized for “demonstrated excellence in clinical care, leadership, compassion and dedication to service.”

Listen to Jordan Cohen’s Humanism in Medicine Lecture