What is the Dartmouth Healthcare Foundations Society?
The Dartmouth Healthcare Foundations Society for Medical Humanities is a community dedicated to applying concepts and methods from the humanities and social sciences to the most pressing issues in contemporary healthcare. Foundations Society members will have access to an international community of students pursuing a range of careers in healthcare, including clinical medicine, public health, research, and policy. Foundations Society members will learn from leaders in global health and faculty from the arts, humanities, and medical sciences to think holistically and creatively about healthcare using a humanistic approach.
As a part of the Foundations Society, you will have opportunities to meet monthly in facilitated discussions with a variety of faculty and students from around the world interested in healthcare. In this learning community, you will work through selected readings, refine your perspectives on healthcare topics, and create a network of committed scholars. We see this as an opportunity to support students in developing language and skills as they prepare to enter their healthcare careers.
You only need to apply to the Society one time. If you are already a member, there is no need to apply again, and you may proceed with the fellowship application.
What is the Foundations in Medicine and Humanities Seminar Series?
This interdisciplinary seminar series convenes monthly throughout the academic year. The seminars feature guest speakers from medicine, public health, and the humanities and social sciences. During each term, we will hold at least one seminar that is open broadly to the Dartmouth community. Other seminars will be smaller and more intimate events open to Fellows and Mentors only. As one of your primary Fellowship activities, it is imperative that you prioritize attendance at seminars. We recognize that conflicts will arise, but keep in mind that this seminar time is critical for your progression and learning in the Fellowship. Please let us know about potential conflicts as far in advance as possible. If you are off campus for a term during your Fellowship, you will need to coordinate with the Foundations team so that we can arrange for remote participation. Some seminars will require that you complete readings, view films, or engage with content in advance. (2 hours/month)
How does mentoring work?
As a fellow, you will have a unique opportunity to cultivate relationships with senior faculty mentors who can serve as a support and guide as you pursue your interests in healthcare. Our mentors have diverse backgrounds and professional experience in medicine, healthcare, social services, public health, advocacy, and the medical humanities and social sciences.
What does professional development look like for Fellows?
Fellows are exposed to a variety of professional development opportunities throughout the year. Learning may come in the form of formal and informal settings. Set pieces include Community and Stakeholder Engagement workshops and writing workshops. Additional opportunities come from fellowship meetings, classes and office hours.
What are the Fellowship Meetings, Classes, and Office Hours?
We encourage you to make use of this time to strengthen your understanding of humanistic approaches in health care, to ask questions and share personal experiences or challenges, and to receive guidance on professional development. (1-2 hours/mo.)
What is the Service Learning Project?
Over the course of the academic year, you will engage in a Service Learning Project. As an experiential learning and service opportunity, the project is an opportunity to work collaboratively with community organizations and members to address key needs. Our intentions and goals for these experiences include:
- Immersing you in community settings;
- Engaging with community members to contextualize health experiences in a broader social context;
- Guiding you through new experiences that may put you out of your “comfort zone” and providing strong mentorship to connect these experiences of being a novice to medicine and healthcare;
- Offering opportunities to gain new skills in community engagement, active listening, and building partnerships based on principles of trust and collaboration.
For the fellowship, you are expected to complete 15-20 hours of service each term. This year, you will have the opportunity to partner with older adults living in the Upper Valley with connections to the College. You will work closely with your community partner over the year for your Service Learning Project.
Prof. Carpenter-Song will mentor you in community engagement methods to build new skills in active listening, partnership, and collaboration. Professor Dan Groves will lead you through a series of writing workshops focused on poetry and professional writing. For your final project, you will present a writing piece that reflects on an aspect of your fellowship year, which may include the Service Learning Project.
What are the Student Leadership Roles?
As Fellows, you are expected to take an active role in shaping this experience to enhance your learning and meet your needs, as well as to contribute to the building and engagement of our Foundations community. The Student Leadership Roles listed below are intended as starting points for ways that you can “take ownership” of the Fellowship experience; please add to these roles! Each term, Fellows will commit to a Leadership Role and will work individually or as a small team of 2-3 students to fulfill these responsibilities. (1-2 hours/mo.)
Journal/Podcast Club:
These student leaders will curate, consumable materials (podcasts, journal articles, books, etc.) relevant to the mission of Foundations and share, and lead discussions with the Foundations Society members. 1-3 times per/term.
Foundations Blog:
These student leaders will help to share the story of Foundations by writing or recruiting other fellows to write regular blog posts. At a minimum, these will include recapping the monthly Eichler Seminars.
Seminar/Event Service: