Developing a holistic healthcare practitioner
Published online: 7 January, TAPS 2025, 10(1), 1-3
Dujeepa D. Samarasekera
Centre for Medical Education (CenMED), NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine,
National University Health System, Singapore
Marcus A. Henning
Centre for Medical and Health Sciences Education, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences,
University of Auckland, New Zealand
Shuh Shing Lee & Han Ting Jillian Yeo
Centre for Medical Education (CenMED), NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine,
National University Health System, Singapore
The present healthcare environment requires practitioners who are not only technically proficient but also compassionate, empathetic, and fully committed to a patient-centred approach. These professionals can be best described as “holistic practitioners,” given their emphasis on supporting the complete well-being of patients, as well as addressing patients’ physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs. Our editorial explores strategies for nurturing such practitioners who focus on the person as a whole, rather than merely treating individual diseases.
Building Competence Through Integrated Knowledge and Skills
Competence in healthcare now requires more than a strong grounding in biomedical and clinical sciences. It requires blending knowledge and skills across various disciplines with a focus on a patient-centred approach. This holistic approach involves embracing interprofessional education, which allows students to learn alongside other healthcare roles, while fostering the teamwork essential for comprehensive care (Samarasekera et al., 2024).
Announcements
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The Asia Pacific Scholar is now calling for submissions for its Fourth Thematic Publication on “Developing a Holistic Healthcare Practitioner for a Sustainable Future”!
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