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Medical students to honor humanism in clinical care

February 12, 2013

UC Irvine School of Medicine will join almost 60 medical schools and institutions from across North America on Feb. 14 in taking a stand for humanism in medicine by observing the third Gold Humanism Honor Society Solidarity Day for Compassionate Patient Care.

The event was begun after the 2011 shootings in Tucson to honor the humanistic actions of Randall Friese, MD, the trauma surgeon who first treated shooting victim Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. Dr. Friese said that the most important thing he did for Giffords in the emergency room was to take her hand and tell her that she would be cared for.

To honor that spirit of caring, the Gold Humanism Honor Society of the Arnold P. Gold Foundation created GHHS Solidarity Day for Compassionate Patient Care, when medical schools and healthcare institutions across North America create and undertake projects demonstrating the importance of empathy and compassion in patient care.

This year, UC Irvine School of Medicine will support compassionate patient care by focusing on the Art of Solidarity. Between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m., art displays from Plexus, UC Irvine’s Journal of Arts and Humanities may be viewed at UC Irvine Medical Center in the lobby of the UC Irvine Douglas Hospital. The event will also feature musical performances by Music to Heal and the UC Irvine MEDleys, an a cappella group consisting of medical students, and a station to make “thank you” cards and Valentines to give to members of the medical community who have displayed compassionate patient care.

Participating medical students will wear red or pink as show their support for compassionate patient care. Honor Society members Diana Cholakian, Brandon Sievers, and Jacquelyn Haskell, along with faculty advisor Dr. Laura Mosqueda, were this year’s Solidarity Day organizers.

“Like Dr. Friese, UC Irvine Medical Center, is making a difference in people’s lives by its contribution to compassionate care on this, and every other day it is practiced,” said Jacqueline Mintz, executive director of GHHS.

Learn more about GHHS ›

The Gold Humanism Honor Society (GHHS) is an international initiative of The Arnold P. Gold Foundation comprised of over 15,000 medical students, faculty and administrators recognized for practicing compassionate, patient centered care. GHHS maintains a networked community which shares ideas, resources and support to sustain and advocate for humanism in medicine. For more information about GHHS, watch this video.

The Arnold P. Gold Foundation works to improve healing and healthcare outcomes by restoring the balance between the cutting edge science of medicine and compassionate, patient centered care.  

Learn more about The Arnold P. Gold Foundation ›