Proponents of medical humanities contend that the humanistic dimensions of medicine and health are a critical component of those disciplines; not only do these dimensions help us to understand the very nature of medicine and health, their apprehension allows caregivers to relate to their patients, to treat those patients with respect and dignity, and to provide more holistic and empathetic care. The Fourth Annual Western Michigan University Medical Humanities Conference aims to explore a range of themes within the medical humanities.

• What Two-day conference
• When Thursday and Friday, September 18 and 19, 2014
• Where Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA
• Submissions Due July 15, 2104; e-mail to medical-humanities@wmich.edu
• More Information Medical Humanities Workgroup

Submissions should include name, departmental/institutional affiliation, project title, and an abstract not to exceed 500 words. Proposals should be submitted electronically by July 15, 2014 (in either .doc/.docx or .pdf format) to medical-humanities@wmich.edu. Acceptances will be announced by August 1, 2014, and further details will appear on the Medical Humanities Workgroup website as they are available.

The conference is meant to be highly interdisciplinary, drawing participants from a wide range of backgrounds, including those from both academic and medical communities. Submissions are welcome on topics that engage some facet of the medical humanities, including their importance and conceptual scope. Furthermore, we welcome submissions that engage any of the following:

• Medical ethics
• History of medicine and health care
• Religious and/or spiritual perspectives on medicine and health
• Health care communication
• Medical anthropology
• Sociology of medicine and health
• Cross‐cultural approaches to medicine and health
• Health and health care in literature and/or poetry
• Musical therapy
• Sickness and health as represented in the visual arts