University College of Medical Science physiology professor awarded Annual Award for Medical Humanities

NEW DELHI: University College of Medical Sciences (UCMS) and Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital faculty member has been awarded the National Annual Award for Medical Humanities 2023. Director professor of physiology at UCMS and GTB Hospital was conferred the award on December 16.

Satendra Singh, leading the health humanities group at UCMS, has spearheaded transformative initiatives such as the establishment of the first humanities journal tailored for the Asian cultural context. His advocacy efforts have successfully integrated disability rights into the medical curriculum in India, promoting inclusivity.

Singh's commitment extends globally, leveraging lived experiences and innovative tools from humanities to enhance training in the global South. He has also been a part of the initiative for banning unnecessary surgeries on intersex children in non-emergency situations in Delhi, emphasising ethical healthcare practices.

Singh has also championed reasonable accommodation for learners with disabilities in health education, training, and practice, fostering a more accessible and inclusive healthcare environment.

The National Annual Award for Medical Humanities was initiated by Apoorva Pauranik, ex-professor of neurology at MGM Medical College, Indore. Pauranik is also director of Pauranik Academy of Medical Education at Indore. The award aims at increasing awareness about the need for inclusion and promotion of the subjects of humanities during medical education at undergraduate and postgraduate level as well as during practice, teaching and research.

Selection process

The selection process for the award was conducted by a committee chaired by Ravi Ramakantan, an ex-professor of radiodiagnosis at King Edward Memorial Hospital Mumbai. The committee consisted of experts from the relevant disciplines, including Sunil K Pandya, neurosurgeon at Jaslok Hospital and the founding editor of the Indian Journal of Medical Ethics.

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Only one person is selected based on their work in the area and its impact on advancing the integration of medical and humanities disciplines every year.