Family, Community & Preventive Medicine
Division of Medical Humanities
Medical Humanities Scholar Requirements
Medical Students achieve the designation of Humanities Scholar upon graduation by completing a prescribed
amount of scholarship in the area of the Medical Humanities. This designation is noted on the permanent
transcript, is acknowledged at graduation, and is noted in the Medical Student Performance Evaluation (Dean’s
Letter).
Requirements checklist (see explanation below):
1. Complete three Humanities Elective Courses
2. Attend required lectures or events:
o Attend six Humanities Grand Rounds or Humanities Special Events and complete a journal entry for
each one
o Attend (or view video of) lecture entitled “Writing for Publication” and complete a journal entry
3. Complete a mentored, independent project
Explanation of requirements
1. Complete three Humanities Elective Courses: These courses are generally completed during the first two years
of medical school. Almost all course are offered at Queen Lane campus. Course credit is awarded for satisfactory
completion. No course may be taken for credit more than once. Students must sign in at each class session and
meet all other individual course requirements in order to receive course credit. Course credit appears on each
student’s medical school transcript.
2. Attend Required Lectures or Events
A. Attend and document six Humanities Grand Rounds or Medical Humanities Special Events: Most
Humanities Grand Rounds are offered at the Queen Lane Campus. At least four of these six
presentations must be attended live; the remaining two Grand Rounds can be viewed online or on
DVD. Students may also receive Grand Rounds credit for attending designated Medical Humanities
events off campus, such as conferences, lectures, and exhibitions. Contact Dr. Gelo
(Florence.Gelo@DrexelMed.edu) or Dr. Rosenzweig (Steven.Rosenzweig@DrexelMed.edu) to
inquire whether an outside activity can be approved for Humanities Grand Rounds/Humanities
Special Event credit.)
Students document attendance of each Grand Rounds or special event by keeping journal entries in
which they briefly record their impressions and reactions (about ½ page, or 2 paragraphs each). We
encourage students to respond to these questions about the presentation: What was most interesting?
What surprised you? What would you want to learn more about? Journal entries must clearly specify
date, speaker, and topic of presentation.
B. Attend or view the “Writing for Publication” lecture: Students must complete a journal entry
describing key points from the session.
Students retain their journal entries until Humanities course and Grand Rounds/Special Events
requirements are completed and have also viewed and documented response to the Writing for Publication
lecture. At that time each student submits his/her journal entries, along with a current medical school
transcript indicating completion of three elective courses, to Caitlin Fitzgerald, Program Coordinator
(Caitlin.Fitzgerald@DrexelMed.Edu). Journal entries will be reviewed and approved by Dr. Gelo, Director
of the Humanities Scholars Program.
3. Complete a mentored, independent project: Students are strongly encouraged to think about this project and
begin planning it as early as their first year. They do not have to complete course and grand rounds requirements
first. Some students choose to work on their project as early as summer in between their 1st and 2nd year.
This project is typically a 10-page paper plus references. However, academically equivalent projects may be
approved. Areas of inquiry include ethics, literature, history, philosophy, art, cultural studies, law, religion and
spirituality, and music as they relate to medicine. This is a mentored project, and students must work with a
faculty member to develop their work and bring it to completion. When the student feels ready, she or he will
meet with Dr. Gelo and submit a 1-2 paragraph written proposal outlining: (i) topic; (ii) type of project – research
paper or equivalent project; (iii) two or three peer-reviewed journals or Internet venues for publication. Dr. Gelo
will need to approve the project, and assist the student in identifying a faculty mentor.
TIMETABLE:
All requirements must be completed by March 15 of senior year.
Note regarding the Dean’s Letter: If requirements are completed by August 1 of senior year, the Dean’s letter will
state that the requirements for the Medical Scholars Certificate have been fulfilled. If all requirements except for
the independent project are completed by Aug 1, the Dean’s Letter will state that the requirements are anticipated
to be completed by graduation.
Lectures and Course Work
Freshman Year /
Sophomore Year
Junior Year /
Senior Year
 Complete 2 or 3 Courses*
 Attend and document at
least 4 of 6 Grand Rounds
plus Writing for Publication
lecture
 Attend or view remaining
Grand Rounds presentations
and complete course work
 Submit portfolio to Medical
Humanities office
Mentored Independent Project
(May begin in any year, even
before completion of lecture and
course requirements)
Plan independent project

Meet with Dr. Gelo for approval

Work with mentor

Complete project
DEADLINE Senior Year, March 15
*Note: We strongly recommend that all courses be completed during freshman and sophomore
year because of logistics and the difficulties taking them during clinical rotations.