KING EDWARD MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

Background History

Seth Gordhandas Sunderdas Medical College and King Edward Memorial Hospital has always been proactive in exploring human and ethical aspects of doctor patient interactions and medical training.

The Indian Journal of Medical Ethics was the brainchild of Dr. Sunil Pandya, the former head of the Department of Neurosurgery at these institutions. The July 2012 issue of this Journal is devoted to Medical Humanities in India.

Following the roundtable discussion on “Reforms in Medical Education to Promote Healthcare for All” on Sunday, 5th September 2010 conducted by The Observer Research Foundation inMumbai in October 2010. At this day-long session, Dr. Sanjay Oak, the Director of our institutions and others deliberated on Reforms in Medical Education. Subsequently, Dr. Oak and Dr Ravi Ramakantan, former Head of the Department of Radiology conceived the idea of starting a Medical Humanities Cell at G.S.Medical College and KEM Hospital.

The Activities of the Medical Humanities Cell are coordinated by:
• Dr. Padmaja Samant, Associate Professor Obtetrics and Gynecology
• Dr. Nitya Gogtay, Professor, Clinical Pharmacology
• Dr. Santosh Salagare, Associate Professor, Internal /medicine
• Dr. Nandini Dave, Associate Professor Anesthesiology
• And Dr. Mridula Solanki, Associate Professor Community Medicine

Activities:

1. In November 2010: A lecture series on ‘Ethics and Justice in Medicine’ was conducted , where Dr. Sunil Pandya, the founder of Indian Journal of Medical Ethics and Past Head of the Department of Neurosurgery in K.E.M. Hospital, Dr. Sanjay Nagral, Dr. Gopinath Shenoy spoke.
2. In February 2011, Talk by Nobel Laureate Dr. Jonathan Fine (Physicians’ For Human Rights) was organised.
3. In July 2011, movie, ‘Her Sister’s Keeper’ was screened and post screening discussion was conducted by Dr. Ravi Ramakantan and Dr. Urmila Thatte.
4. In December 2011, A two day interactive workshop ‘ Theatre of the Oppressed’: highlighting the power of drama and imagery as a training ground for action not only in these performance forms, but for action in life- was conducted by Dr. Radha Ramaswamy, Founder of the Bangalore based Centre for Community Dialogue and Change at the Savitribai Phule Gender Resource Centre of MCGM. The participants were a mix of senior medical teachers as well as undergraduate and postgraduate medical students.
5. The department of PSM has been using “Forum Theatre techniques” in its community outreach activities.
6. In June 2012, Prof. Richard Alan Cash, MD, MPH Senior Lecturer in International Health and Director of the Program on Ethical Issues in International Health in the Department of Global Health & Population of the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston spoke on “Taking science to People: Examples from Oral Rehydration Therapy and Community Based Treatment of Tuberculosis”. His visit was organized by Centre for Studies in Ethics and Rights, Mumbai.

Sections Units Branches

Staff

Facilities, Equipments & Special services

Facilities:

The Cell is building a library of books in English, Marathi, and Hindi, which explore human relationships special emphasis on health.

For Students

Research projects

Postgraduate students from P.S.M. and Psychiatry have undertaken research on Perceptions and expectations of undergraduate and postgraduate students of the institute. They have been awarded fellowships by Centre for Studies in Ethics and Rights, Mumbai.
B. Projects sponsored by the pharmaceutical industry

For Patient

Other

Future Plan:

• Creative Writing Workshop for Undergraduate students
• Short Film Festival for Undergraduate students
• Theatre of the Oppressed: A Two Days Skill Building Workshop for Teachers
• Humor in Medicine: An interactive programme with Alumni who have explored the funny side of Medicine