A tale of two cities: The influence of literature on medicine

Abstract

The following piece is a reflection concerning the interplay between the art of writing and the art of medicine. We are exploring the similarities and disparities of the field with a focus on doctors – medical students and fiction authors/poets. We are currently medical students and we identify as poets and fiction authors since our high school years and hence we are trying to point out our perspective. In the end we give some hints about the role that literature can play in modern medicine. Key words: medicine, literature, medical humanities, fiction, poetry

Keywords

• medicine
• literature
• medical humanities
• fiction
• poetry