Rs. Maxwell et Dj. Pounder, The Medicine and Human Rights special study module: a Physicians for HumanRights (UK) initiative, MED TEACH, 21(3), 1999, pp. 294-298
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'.