From Dr. S. Amjad Hussain
The matters of heart and head
This is the 6th issue of the Lumen. Its initial hesitant steps have now morphed over time into confident strides. With the passage of time, it has matured and become more meaningful. It took many hands to bring it to the present juncture.
I am most grateful to former Dean of the College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Professor Christopher Cooper, and current Dean, Professor Imran Ali, both of whom have been enthusiastic supporters of this magazine. Their moral and financial support made it possible for students to bring forth their literary and artistic talents to prove that the humanities have been an integral part of the study and practice of medicine.
When I entered medical school in Pakistan 69 years ago (has it been that long?) the prevailing wisdom was to abandon all extracurricular activities and concentrate on the studies at hand: no sports, no literature, no plays. It was hard to go against the tide. I was, however, not about to abandon my other interests just because I was awarded a coveted spot in medical school. I soon realized that extracurricular activities were essential to my medical studies if I could juggle my priorities and manage my time efficiently.
A cursory look at the Lumen shows that most medical students do find time to be creative whether in sports, literature or any other areas of human endeavor. In every era there have been physician poets, writers and artists. This is precisely what Sir William Osler, the great Canadian physician and teacher, (1849-1919) advised his students:
While medicine is to be your vocation, or calling, see to it that you have also an avocation- some intellectual pastime which may serve to keep you in touch with the world of art, science, or of letters.
He also said:
A physician may possess the science of Harvey and the art of Sydenham, and yet there may be lacking in him those finer qualities of heart and head which count for so much in life.
Unfortunately, the connection between science and the qualities of heart and head is not taught, publicized, or emphasized. And still, we have excellent writers, poets and artists among our medical students. Just a glance at the contents of our magazine would drive that point home.
Under the leadership of Dean Ali, the medical school has created various pathways to supplement medical education, including one for the humanities. This year, the first group of these pathways was admitted, and we hope this will create synergy between our magazine and the humanities club on campus.
Our Student Editorial Board consists of talented and enthusiastic students from 1st to 4th years. They bring an outlook that is fresh, passionate, and exuberant. While selecting the contents for the Lumen, we discuss, debate and occasionally disagree. We are now even looking into including a few pieces of performing arts in future issues.
When introducing the iPad in 2010, Steve Jobs famously said:
It is in Apple DNA that technology alone is not enough. It is technology married with liberal arts, married with the humanities that yields the results that make our hearts sing.
Including performing arts pieces in the Lumen would really make our hearts sing.
Adios until the next issue.
S. Amjad Hussain MD
Editor-in-Chief
