Mission statement and code of conduct

The objects of the AMH are to provide a forum for interdisciplinary thinking in the field of the medical/ health humanities locally, nationally and internationally; to add significant value to the field of medical/ health humanities and to promote and support application of medical and health humanities in healthcare, in healthcare education and in society at large.

In pursuit of these objects the AMH undertakes a wide range of activities.

  • Hosting an annual conference appealing to an international audience and attracting delegates from both healthcare and humanities disciplines.
  • Hosting one-day seminars and workshops.
  • Encouraging and supporting medical and health practitioners and students to engage actively with the arts and humanities in their professional roles and practice, researching and disseminating the outcomes to progress and develop the field.
  • Providing guidance on running educational events and some support material.
  • Maintaining an informative and interactive website
  • Supporting medical schools to develop student Medical Humanities Associations.
  • Creating a medical humanities network and other collaborations with national and international partners.
  • Lobbying decision-making and funding bodies to support medical humanities.

AMH code of conduct, January 2020

In keeping with common practice across the academic sector and other learned societies, AMH has now adopted a code of conduct.

We value the participation of everyone at AMH events and want them to be fulfilling and enjoyable for everyone regardless of gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, class, age, religion or philosophy. We will not tolerate harassment in any form.

Participants are expected to adhere to the following guidelines:

1. AMH strongly supports the principle of academic kindness, in which all participants seek to encourage, support and enter into constructive dialogue with each other about ideas, insights and research, even where there are areas of disagreement. Given the transdisciplinary nature of medical humanities, in which professionals come from sometimes very different disciplinary fields and knowledges to work together, academic kindness and a collaborative spirit are precious commodities.

2. Behave professionally. AMH events should be held in a safe, comfortable, and professional environment. Participants should be courteous with the opinions of others and be mindful not to exclude anyone from discussions or work-related activities.

3. Act respectfully. Harassment and sexist, racist, or exclusionary comments or ‘jokes’ are not appropriate at any time (including lunches and social events). Harassment includes verbal or physical abuse, offensive comments, sustained disruption of talks or other events, inappropriate physical contact, sexual attention or innuendo, deliberate intimidation, stalking, and photography or recording of an individual without consent.

4. Communicate appropriately. All communication should be appropriate for a professional audience including people of many different backgrounds and career stages. Sexual, sexist or other pejorative and exclusionary language and imagery is not appropriate. Delegates must also ensure that they conduct safe, professional and appropriate online behaviour. Event organisers will treat unacceptable ‘electronic behaviour’ through social media and other means, in the same way it would treat other unacceptable behaviours.

5. Work collaboratively. The diversity of our colleagues’ backgrounds is an asset. We’re all here to learn, share, and contribute. Fresh perspectives should be valued along with the voices of experience.

6. In order to facilitate productive Q&A sessions after papers given at conferences and symposia, participants are asked to pose questions of speakers or ask for points of clarification, rather than attempt to colonise the space by offering their own thoughts or comments. Chairs at AMH events will intervene where a question is not forthcoming from an audience member who is speaking in a Q&A session.

Individuals asked to stop any inappropriate behaviour are expected to comply immediately. Anyone violating these rules may be asked to leave the event at the discretion of the organisers. Any participant who wishes to report a concern or violation of this policy is asked to speak confidentially to the event organisers. They will usually be available and visible on the day and contact details will be made available at every event.

Thank you to our members and participants for helping to make AMH events a welcoming, respectful and supportive environment for all.

[This code of conduct is partly based on the Interact 2019 Code of Conduct and the ‘London Code of Conduct’, as originally designed for the conference ‘Accurate Astrophysics. Correct Cosmology’, held in London in July 2015. The London Code was adapted with permission by Andrew Pontzen and Hiranya Peiris from a document by Software Carpentry, which itself derives from original Creative Commons documents by PyCon and Geek Feminism. It is released under a CC-Zero license for reuse].