McGill Students Excel at American Osler Society Meeting, Highlighting Medical Humanities Growth

McGill University medical students demonstrated exceptional performance at the 2025 annual meeting of the American Osler Society in Pasadena, California, continuing the university's strong tradition in medical humanities research. The event gathered physicians, researchers, and students globally to examine the history of medicine and its contemporary relevance. Three McGill students attended, with Paris Dastjerdi winning first prize for her presentation "Restoring Avicenna's Tomb: A Historical Analysis of William Osler's Efforts" and Meygan Brody receiving third prize for "Justifying Judgment: How Canadian Temperance Textbooks Use Medicine to Teach Morality." Reda Hessi also presented on "Harold Griffith and Sir Robert Macintosh: Untold Stories of Curare's Journey to the Operating Room."

Since the Best Medical Student Presentations awards began in 2023, McGill students have consistently excelled, securing six of nine prizes, including first place all three years. This sustained success underscores McGill's commitment to integrating humanities into medical education, which is crucial for developing well-rounded physicians who understand the historical and ethical dimensions of their practice. The implications extend beyond academic recognition, potentially influencing medical curricula worldwide to place greater emphasis on humanities, thereby fostering more empathetic and historically aware healthcare professionals.

The meeting also highlighted the growing support for such research through initiatives like The Bernadett Family International Medical Student Scholarship Program. Established in 2024 on behalf of Faustino Bernadett and his family, this program funds students pursuing medical humanities research in the United Kingdom. Reda Hessi was one of two recipients, undertaking a four-week project in London titled "The Reception of Curare in Medicine and the Influence of the Pharmaceutical Industry." Hessi expressed gratitude, noting that access to rare collections in the UK would enrich her research and broaden her perspective. This scholarship program, detailed at https://www.americanosler.org/content/awards-scholarships/international-medical-student-scholarship-program, represents a significant investment in cross-border academic collaboration, which could accelerate discoveries in medical history and ethics, benefiting the global healthcare community.

Further contributions from McGill alumni strengthened the event's impact. Brendan Ross, a psychiatry resident at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, served as both presenter and session chair, while Ali Fazlollahi, a recent graduate and previous Molina award winner, also participated. Annmarie Adams delivered the McGovern Lecture, "Maude Abbott: A Life in Ten Spaces," exploring Abbott's pioneering studies on congenital cardiac disease and her relationship with William Osler through a spatial biography approach. These engagements highlight the enduring influence of McGill's medical humanities programs, which prepare students not only for clinical roles but also for leadership in academic and research settings.

The 2025 AOS meeting successfully emphasized the intersection of medicine and the humanities, with McGill's participation playing a pivotal role. The support from the Osler Library Board of Curators and the Montreal community was instrumental in facilitating student attendance. As medical education evolves to address complex global health challenges, initiatives like these are vital for nurturing critical thinking and innovation. The expansion of opportunities through scholarships, such as those supported by Faustino Bernadett's philanthropy at https://www.bernadett.org/, signals a broader trend toward valuing humanities in medicine, which could lead to more holistic patient care and informed public health policies worldwide.