Infinite Ability: the Confluence of Disability and Medical Humanities
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20 International Journal of User-Driven Healthcare, 3(4), 20-23, October-December 2013 Infinite Ability: The Confluence of Disability and Medical Humanities Satendra Singh, Department of Physiology, University College of Medical Sciences, University of Delhi, Delhi, India ABSTRACT In June 2011, Infinite Ability, a new special interest group on disability within the Medical Humanities Group was formed to explore disability through creativity. Disability studies are sporadically used in Medical Humanities program. Since persons with disabilities constitute a large minority, we need to bridge the gap so as to move towards social model of disability. The author describe an innovation of reaching people with disabled attitude through medical humanities and believes further research can help in incorporating new evidences towards achieving new special interest group on disability and initial activities in sensitizing people Keywords: Disability, Disability through Creativity, Disabled Attitude, Medical Education, Medical Humanities BACKGROUND Article 1 of the United Nation’s Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities defines Deobrah Kirklin defines Medical Humanities PwD as those who have long-term physical, (MH) as “an interdisciplinary and an increas- mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments ingly international endeavor that draws on the which in interaction with various barriers may creative and intellectual strengths of diverse hinder their full and effective participation in disciplines including literature, art, creative the society on an equal basis with others. The writing, drama, film, music, philosophy, ethical list of disabilities include autism spectrum decision making, anthropology, and history in disorders, blindness, cerebral palsy, chronic neu- pursuit of medical educational goals” (Kirklin, rological conditions, deaf-blindness, dwarfism, 2009). The study of disability is underrepre- hemophilia, hearing impairment, intellectual sented in MH programs despite persons with disability, leprosy-cured, locomotor disability, disabilities (PwD) are a large minority which mental illness, muscular dystrophy, multiple seeks medical care (Garden, 2010a; Garden, sclerosis, specific learning disabilities, speech 2010b). impairment and thalassemia. DOI: 10.4018/ijudh.2013100103 Copyright © 2013, IGI Global. Copying or distributing in print or electronic forms without written permission of IGI Global is prohibited. International Journal of User-Driven Healthcare, 3(4), 20-23, October-December 2013 21 Medical Humanities is common in west- among medical PwD of medical humanitarian ern medical schools but in South East Asia approaches that would focus on four compe- only Nepal and now India reports innovations tency-based learning objectives of narrative in this field (Gupta, Singh & Kotru, 2011). medicine: graphic medicine; interpersonal and Our Medical Humanities Group (MHG) was communication skills; patient care, and profes- first ever such initiative in India (Gupta & sionalism (Singh, 2012). Singh, 2011). Literature mostly reports use of Upon initiation, we faced the challenge narratives, paintings and lectures as tools of of scarcity of medical PwD’s and hence the MH programs and use of disability studies is groupobjectives were broadened to include sporadic. To address the need, we developed other MH perspective. This inclusion helped in a special interest group on disability (Infinite organizing us the first ever ‘Theatre of the Op- Ability) within MHG to educate students and pressed’ workshop for medical students in India faculty about disability studies as an integral (Singh, Khosla & Sridhar, 2012). A dedicated part of MH (Figure 1). website was followed with ‘reflections’ from The difficulties faced by disabled individu- the PwD’s as well as other MH perspectives. We als have been recognized and the sharing of the invited Mrs. Madhu Sharma, who is completely experiences may serve as a supportive tool for visually impaired, to speak during our medi- others. Infinite Ability group is an attempt to cal humanities lecture series, Confluence and provide an insight into the experience of living she spoke on the topic ‘Broadening Horizons: and coping with impairment while exploring Looking beyond disability’. In her interactive disability through creativity. talk she discussed many myths associatedwith disability and helped the audience in developing a wider view of ability and disability. Conflu- INNOVATION ence was followed by an open invitation to contribute narratives on International Day of The setting for the innovation was a prominent Persons with Disabilities. medical school in atertiary care hospital in New This year the group partnered with Partho Delhi, India. The disability special interest group Bhowmick’s Beyond Sight Foundation and or- was named Infinite Ability after the founder Dr ganized a ‘Blind with Camera’ workshop in an Satendra Singh’s poetry got published in BMJ attempt to empower the partially and completely Medical Humanities (Singh, 2011). visually impaired students of Delhi University The main purpose behind the formation of (Chaudhary, Times of India, 2012). The mis- the group was the promotion and coordination Figure 1. Logo of infinite ability Copyright © 2013, IGI Global. Copying or distributing in print or electronic forms without written permission of IGI Global is prohibited. 2 more pages are available in the full version of this document, which may be purchased using the "Add to Cart" button on the publisher's webpage: www.igi- global.com/article/infinite-ability/103913 Related Content Information Challenges of the Deaf in their Health and Social Care Needs Cayley Guimarães, Diego Roberto Antunes, Laura Sánchez García and Sueli Fernandes (2013). Handbook of Research on ICTs for Human-Centered Healthcare and Social Care Services (pp. 93-111). www.irma-international.org/chapter/information-challenges-deaf-their-health/77138 Issues in Interoperable Structures of Regional Health Information Networks Stergiani Spyrou, Panagiotis Bamidis and Nicos Maglaveras (2010). 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