The Interdisciplinary Cluster for Human Values in Health Care seeks to provide opportunities for people throughout the University community and beyond to reflect on, learn about, and appreciate ways in which the humanities and the arts can enhance people’s health and the delivery of health care.

The Cluster sponsors a number of events each year, including:

• An annual Ethics and Humanities Grand Rounds event, featuring a nationally known expert in ethics and/or medical humanities who makes grand rounds presentations in selected clinical departments in the medical center and also gives a public lecture
  • 2007- Rita Charon, MD., Founder and Director, Columbia University School of Medicine Narrative Medicine program
  • 2008- Samuel Gorovitz, PhD, Professor of Philosophy, Syracuse University
  • 2009- Rebecca Dresser, JD, Professor of Law and Professor of Ethics, Washington University School of Law


• Speakers for events, some co-sponsored with other entities within and outside the university, such as:
  • 2009- presentation by Dr. Jonathan Shay about Ulysses and psychiatry co-sponsored with the Memorial Art Gallery and the Department of Psychiatry
  • 2008-presentation by Dr. Jeffrey Lyness on Duke Ellington (aging and creativity)
  • 2007-presentation by Col. Cathy Platoni on psychological stresses of war


• Support for creative projects such as:
  • Photo exhibits in Miner Library featuring work by students
  • Support for student literary journal
  • Creative excellence awards given annually for original creative work reflecting human values in health care (in three categories: student; staff; faculty)

Membership

The co-chairs of the Cluster are:

• Richard Dees, PhD. Associate Professor of Philosophy
• Stephanie Brown Clark, MD, PhD. Associate Professor in the Division of the Medical Humanities

The Executive Committee of the Cluster is composed of:

• Philip Bonanni, MD — SM&D, Medicine
• Theodore Brown, PhD — CAS, History — SM&D, Community and Preventive Medicine, Division of Medical Humanities
• Richard Demme, MD — SM&D, Nephrology and Medical Humanities
• Brenda Lee, MEd — SM&D, Dean’s Office, Division of Medical Humanities
• Tim Madigan, PhD — St. John Fisher College
• Sally Norton, PhD, RN — SON, SM&D, Division of Medical Humanities
• O. J. Sahler, MD — SM&D, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Medical Humanities
• Madeline Schmitt, PhD, RN — SON

In addition, approximately 85 members of the University and the Rochester community are Cluster Associates on our regular mailing list.

Contact person — Andrea Ehmann, Administrative Assistant
Division of Medical Humanities
Box 676
585-275-5800
andrea_ehmann@urmc.rochester.edu