By Shannon Findley
Reporter
For the 15th year in row, the Baylor Medical Humanities Department will explore the spiritual side of careers in medicine.
“The point of the retreat is to spend time thinking about the spiritual nature of a profession in health care,” said Dr. Lauren Barron, assistant director of the medical humanities program and coordinator of the event.
Barron said all Baylor students are welcome to attend the two-day event, which has a registration fee of $30 that must be paid online by Monday. The site for registration can be found through the Baylor events calendar. The retreat will take place April 11-12 at Truett Seminary. Retreat-goers will learn about the study of medical humanities and what makes it unique from other medical fields.
“The way I like to think of medical humanities is the best of a liberal arts education with a focus on medicine,” Barron said.
She said activities at the retreat include a dessert reception, breakout sessions, a dinner, some worship sessions and a talk by a guest speaker. This year’s speaker is Dr. Mike Attas, a cardiologist.
Barron is helping introduce people and host the event, as well as leading a Q&A session with medical students.
Barron said 50 students attended the retreat last year. She is working on getting at least 100 students to attend the retreat this year in hopes that many students’ eyes will be opened to the fact that the study of medicine is about more than science.
The Medical Humanities Retreat looks at the study of medicine from a holistic viewpoint, incorporating not only the science and logic behind the study of medicine, but the emotions and the heart behind it too, Barron said.
“There is nothing in my mind where you use your head and your heart and your hands at the same time like in medicine,” Barron said.
