The Human Library: Teaching Medical Students How to ‘Unjudge’

“To study the phenomena of disease without books is to sail an uncharted sea, while to study books without patients is not to go to sea at all.” This quote from Osler highlights the fundamental role that patient contact plays within our health professional programmes. Our students need to be prepared to serve our diverse UK population. This involves developing the necessary knowledge and skills, while also being prompted to reflect on their own underlying attitudes and beliefs. While knowledge and skills are easily shaped by traditional medical school curricula, facilitating development of the necessary attitudes and an appreciation of the nuances of modern clinical practice can be more challenging. In 2022, a collaboration with The Human Library was introduced to the undergraduate curriculum at the University of Glasgow medical school. A world first! The Human Library runs reading events with people as human ‘books’, which enables authentic patient encounters with a more diverse population, including those traditionally subjected to prejudice or who have lacked a voice. The events create a safe space for open dialogue between the ‘books’ and their readers. To share student and tutor feedback on the ‘reading’ events into the curriculum and to highlight these sessions as a powerful educational events with wide transferability within health and social care.