February 12, 2015

Faculty, residents and students are invited to participate in the annual Solidarity Day by focusing on humanistic medicine

What is Solidarity Day?

Solidarity Day was originally established in 2011, after the tragic shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, and was inspired by comments from her care team that highlighted the importance of humanistic practice. Solidarity day is a time when we stand in solidarity to commemorate the spirit of humanism and compassion for all. As part of Solidarity Day, the OHSU Gold Humanism Society encourages faculty members and trainees to participate in the practice of “Just 5 minutes.”

What is “Just 5 minutes?”

We are asking every medical student, resident and faculty member to take an five extra minutes to sit alongside a patient and simply listen to their story, with the aim of learning more about them as a person. We’re calling it, “Just 5 Minutes.” We are also hoping students, faculty and residents can share their experiences as part of a “compassionate care” rounds, on Friday, Feb. 13.

We would also like to hear from you: what was your experience participating in Solidarity Day and taking “Just 5 minutes” to listen to your patients in a different way? Let us know here and take a few moments to recognize a team member who sets a wonderful example of practicing humanistic medicine.

We hope you enjoy participating in Solidarity Day on Friday, Feb. 13, and thank you for your compassion!

- Your Gold Humanism Team

 

The Gold Humanism Honor Society (GHHS) recognizes individuals who are exemplars of humanistic patient care. The power of the organization brings them together to sustain their own humanism and to inspire and nurture humanism in others. Begun in 2002, GHHS has ninety-five medical school chapters and more than 13,000 members. GHHS is an initiative of the Arnold P. Gold Foundation. For more information about GHHS visit humanism-in-medicine.org/ghhs/.

The Arnold P. Gold Foundation is dedicated to improving the quality of health and patient care by enhancing the doctor-patient relationship. Its work encourages the development of physicians who combine high tech, cutting edge medical science with the high touch skills of communication, empathy and compassion. Find out more at www.humanism-in-medicine.org.