Humanities emphasizes particularity of experience. We take one person at a time. Shapiro said that although anecdotal evidence supports a humanities-based curriculum, research garnering quantitative and qualitative evidence justifying it is still emerging. Very few people have tried to evaluate the effects of humanities' exposure because it's hard to measure these qualities. One concern, she said, is that including humanities in the curriculum might take too much time.
Some people question whether the humanities can do what they claim they can do.
Shapiro said that the researchers who met at the symposium are currently attempting to discover how to use the humanities to help students apply what they learn and to establish a general rubric of evaluation research. For example, Dr. Elizabeth Morrison, guest physician faculty and director of the core course Patient Doctor I, is evaluating elective courses in literature and medicine to examine how humanities affect students' empathy. Despite the lack of solid scientific evidence, Shapiro said, changes in curriculum and medical school requirements have occurred and continue to occur. All contents of this site are 2000-2001 by the New University Newspaper. Reproduction in any way is prohibited unless express written consent is first obtained.