Hektoen International

A Journal of Medical Humanities

Tag: Arthur Kleinman

  • Seeking medicalization: chronic illness without diagnosed disease

    Camille KrollChicago, Illinois, United States I was wheeled into the bright lights of the operating room with the symptom-based diagnoses of chronic pelvic pain and irritable bowel syndrome. When I groggily emerged several hours later, I had a new label: someone with a disease. Endometriosis is a notoriously tricky disease to diagnose because often only…

  • Camus, Meursault, and the Biopsychosocial model

    Liam ButchartStony Brook, New York Since the development of medical literature studies in the 1970s, the field has grown and expanded in many fascinating ways.1 For example, courses in medical schools now encourage students to examine their own biases and emotional responses, and medical literature scholars emphasize the educational and clinical value of learning to…

  • That reminds me of a story: The language of narrative in medicine

    Ann RedpathNew York City, United States Story is ubiquitous. It’s no wonder that it shows up in medicine.How does narrative feed medical language? “I have over 500 patients,” the heart surgeon raised her voice in exasperation. “I just want you to hear my side of the story,” the patient countered. Too late. The doctor had…