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An individual who has made the achievement of obtaining an online PhD in Medical Humanities has accomplished a goal that will give him increased opportunities to help physicians and health care facilities evaluate and resolve difficult ethical issues that arise during patient care. The individual will have the valuable opportunity to further the goals of medicine, such as communication, compassion, reflection, and professionalism. Furthermore, because Medical Humanities is such an expansive field, a student who has obtained an online Doctorate in Medical Humanities may have an influence on the standards, policy, and education in areas such as literature, medical history, the visual and performing arts, and the social sciences.

Online PhD in Medical Humanities Requirements

Students pursuing an online Medical Humanities PhD need to possess strong aptitude in an array of subjects that deal with the connection of the human experience, medical practice, and systematic technology. In order to be successful in obtaining a Medical Humanities PhD online, students must be able to understand and persuasively produce the ethical, historical, and practical aspects of medicine as they relate to the performance and control of health care.

The various top and accredited Online PhD Programs in Medical Humanities will provide students with the necessary science courses, historical perspectives, ethical awareness, philosophical studies, literature, religious studies, and artistic insights that will strengthen their ability to impact the integration of medicine to individuals and society.

There is a variety of Master Degrees that leads into an online Doctorate Degree in Medical Humanities, including:

• Master of Arts in Bioethics
• Master of Public Health
• Master of Social Work
• Master of Science in Nursing
• Master of Arts in the Humanities
• Master of Management in Hospitality

Medical Humanities is such a broad field that individuals pursuing an online PhD program in the field come from a multitude of professional backgrounds such as social work, counseling, medicine, philosophy, research science, nursing, and visual and performing arts.

Online PhD in Medical Humanities Education

During the course of study in an online Doctorate Program in Medical Humanities, students will be required to show that they have the discipline, ethical awareness, research skills, and broad scientific knowledge that are essential in influencing policy, standards, research, and educational methods aimed at helping health care professionals explore challenging ethical scenarios. The student must complete approximately 49 credit hours in their chosen online Doctorate Program in Medical Humanities.

Information on Medical Humanities Courses

The required courses for obtaining an online Medical Humanities PhD cover a multitude of disciplines in categories such as race, culture, religion, medical art, ethics, scientific content, research, and the history of medicine. Some available courses are as follows:

• History of Medicine
  The structure of this course introduces students to major trends in Western medicine and health from Greek to modern times.
• The Foundations of Bioethics
  This Bioethics course examines ethical problems associated with the advances in modern medicine. Students will examine the ethical questions and issues that arise in the relationship among life sciences, biotechnology, medicine, politics, law, and philosophy.
• Clinical Ethics Practicum
  This course is designed to provide an opportunity for students to learn about the culture of clinical medicine by engaging them in health-care experiences and relationships that characterize medical practice.
• Humanism and the Medical Humanities
  This course draws on both European and American authors of cultural criticism, medicine, and social theory to follow relations between humanism and medicine.
• Ethics of Scientific Research
  Students will discuss readings and cases dealing with the philosophy of science, the ordinary practice of scientific research, conflicts of interest, and the value conflicts that arise between scientists and society at large.

Specializations and Concentrations

An individual pursuing an online Doctoral Degree in Medical Humanities may choose special courses and training that will help prepare him to influence and lead associations such as ethical fellowship organizations and ethics committee networks. Specializations within the online Doctoral Programs in Medical Humanities encompass the diverse areas listed below.

• Health Care Ethics
• Health Policy
• History of Medicine
• Literature and Narrative Studies in Health Care
• Religion and Medicine

Careers in Medical Humanities

Graduates obtaining an online PhD Degree in Medical Humanities are a diverse group with a wide range of career opportunities. Some of their career choices include:

• Research and Development Manager
  These managers are to oversee, implement, design, and supervise the daily activities and goals of various research projects. Estimated Salary: $115,800.
• University Professor
  A professor in the Medical Humanities field has the duty to guide, mentor, train, and educate the future professionals of the field by providing them with core knowledge in the field and emphasizing the relationship between the humanities and the practice of medicine. Average Salary: $79,000.
• Medical Policy Maker
  Policy makers develop programs to address the needs of the patient and health care community on a variety of levels. The salary varies greatly depending on whether one works in the private sector or government sector.
• Chief Medical Officer
  A Chief Medical Officer must create a dynamic and functional health care environment that promotes clinical and professional growth. The Chief Medical Officer oversees aspects of patient care and defines and maintains standards in patient care. Average salary: $306, 046.
• Hospital Administrator
  Hospital administrators manage hospitals, outpatient clinics, hospices, and drug-abuse treatment centers. Salary depends on years of experience, hospital size, and type of administrator. Salary for an administrator with a graduate degree typically starts at around $70,000.

In our present society, advances in science and technology often outpace our ability to understand and cope with new medical concepts and ethical circumstances. Thus, there remains a critical need for medical humanitarians.