What exactly is philanthropy?
The famous Roman thinker, Galen, suggested that “medicine [is] an especially philanthropic act” citing the roles of a physician in mitigating human suffering, serving the most indigent, and advancing “medical knowledge.”
Even in times well-past that of Galen, there are numerous examples of philanthropic interventions to promote equity in healthcare.
What is Philanthropic Studies?
Philanthropic Studies seeks to learn about the supply- and demand- sides of giving relationships between individuals, institutions, and society, while theorizing the consequences of these voluntary exchanges along instrumental and expressive rationales relative to perpetuating “good”
Taken from Being Nonprofit, Peter Frumkin
Philanthropic Studies and pre-med
As with many other professions in this economy, physicians must largely fulfill a service and communications-based role. Through the degree program, I have been trained to understand the dynamics of different helping relationships and in turn, force myself to think critically to ascertain that the relationship does not have an in-built ethical flaw.
As I transition into medical education, I will continue to appreciate the impact of my degree in Philanthropic Studies, realizing that the discipline has provided me a unique framework under which to contextualize the exchanges that occur both within and without the healthcare system.
