The Medicine and Human Rights special study module: a Physicians for HumanRights (UK) initiative

Human rights have been much neglected in medical education. An attempt to f ill this gap was made by introducing a 'Medicine and Human Rights' special study module into the undergraduate programme at Dundee. It covers issues s uch as physician participation in torture and the death penalty, rape in wa r, and the physical and psychological results of torture. Various teaching methods were used, with an emphasis on self-directed learning. Assessment w as by students' participation in the programme, including a formal presenta tion to the class. An evaluation of the programme showed it to be appreciat ed by tutors and students. As a subject, human rights is worthy of in-depth study by medical students; its study also helps them acquire a variety of important generic competences. Some aspects of human rights may merit inclu sion in the core programme, 'Man in Society'.