McGill University medical students achieved significant recognition at the 2025 annual meeting of the American Osler Society in Pasadena, California, continuing the university's established strength in medical humanities research. Three students participated in the gathering of physicians, researchers, and students focused on the history of medicine and its contemporary applications. Paris Dastjerdi secured first prize for her presentation titled "Restoring Avicenna's Tomb: A Historical Analysis of William Osler's Efforts," while Meygan Brody earned third prize for "Justifying Judgment: How Canadian Temperance Textbooks Use Medicine to Teach Morality." Reda Hessi also presented his work on "Harold Griffith and Sir Robert Macintosh: Untold Stories of Curare's Journey to the Operating Room."
Since the inception of the Best Medical Student Presentations awards in 2023, McGill students have claimed six of the nine available prizes, including the first-place award each year. This consistent success highlights McGill's dedication to incorporating humanities perspectives into medical training. The meeting also featured contributions from McGill alumni, including Brendan Ross, a psychiatry resident at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, who served as both a presenter and session chair, and Ali Fazlollahi, a recent graduate and previous recipient of the Molina award. Additionally, Annmarie Adams delivered the McGovern Lecture, "Maude Abbott: A Life in Ten Spaces," which examined Abbott's foundational research on congenital cardiac disease and her lasting connection with William Osler through a spatial biography framework.
The Bernadett Family International Medical Student Scholarship Program, established in 2024 in honor of Faustino Bernadett and his family, funds students pursuing medical humanities research in the United Kingdom. Reda Hessi was selected as one of two recipients, enabling him to undertake a four-week research project in London focused on "The Reception of Curare in Medicine and the Influence of the Pharmaceutical Industry." Hessi acknowledged the opportunity, noting it would enhance his research and expand his outlook. Details about the scholarship program are accessible at https://www.americanosler.org/content/awards-scholarships/international-medical-student-scholarship-program, and information regarding Faustino Bernadett's philanthropic efforts can be found at https://www.bernadett.org/.
The 2025 American Osler Society meeting effectively underscored the convergence of medicine and the humanities, with McGill's involvement being crucial to advancing this objective. Support from the Osler Library Board of Curators and the Montreal community was essential in facilitating the students' attendance. This event illustrates the rising significance of historical and ethical viewpoints in medical education, as institutions increasingly acknowledge that comprehending medicine's past can guide improved practices and policies moving forward. The growth of scholarship initiatives like the Bernadett program indicates a mounting investment in developing medical professionals capable of critically engaging with the social and historical aspects of healthcare.
