Integrating medical humanities in undergraduate medical education : a curricular model aligned with the InspirE5 framework

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Abstract

Background: Medical Humanities (MH) integrate the human sciences, arts and social sciences into medical education to foster empathy, ethical reflection and critical thinking. This article presents the MH programme at Universidad Francisco de Vitoria (UFV), framed within the InspirE5 model—an internationally informed framework for designing and evaluating health humanities curricula. Methods: We conducted a qualitative descriptive-interpretive study using document analysis and triangulated phenomenological interpretation. A multidisciplinary team analysed the programme according to the five domains of the InspirE5 model: Environment, Expectations, Experiences, Evidence, and Enhancement. Results: The UFV MH programme aligns closely with the InspirE5 capabilities, integrating them into a longitudinal, compulsory curriculum. It includes diverse pedagogical methods—such as mentoring, experiential learning, reflective writing, and interdisciplinary seminars—fostering person-centredness, ambiguity tolerance, and ethical imagination. Conclusions: The programme demonstrates a coherent integration of MH across six academic years and provides a model of transformative, transdisciplinary education. Its alignment with the InspirE5 framework strengthens its value as a paradigm for medical humanities development, assessment and international comparison.