McGill University medical students achieved remarkable success at the 2025 annual meeting of the American Osler Society in Pasadena, California, further solidifying the university's reputation for excellence in medical humanities research. Three students participated in the gathering of physicians, researchers, and students exploring medicine's history and contemporary relevance. Paris Dastjerdi earned first prize for her presentation "Restoring Avicenna's Tomb: A Historical Analysis of William Osler's Efforts," while Meygan Brody received third prize for "Justifying Judgment: How Canadian Temperance Textbooks Use Medicine to Teach Morality." Reda Hessi also presented on "Harold Griffith and Sir Robert Macintosh: Untold Stories of Curare's Journey to the Operating Room."
Since the Best Medical Student Presentations awards were established in 2023, McGill students have captured six of nine available prizes, including first place all three years. This consistent achievement highlights McGill's dedication to incorporating humanities perspectives into medical training. The meeting also featured notable McGill alumni contributions, with Brendan Ross, a psychiatry resident at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, serving as both presenter and session chair, and Ali Fazlollahi, a recent graduate and previous Molina award winner, participating. Annmarie Adams delivered the McGovern Lecture titled "Maude Abbott: A Life in Ten Spaces," examining Abbott's groundbreaking congenital cardiac disease research and her lasting connection with William Osler through a spatial biography approach.
The Bernadett Family International Medical Student Scholarship Program, created in 2024 on behalf of Faustino Bernadett and his family, funds students pursuing medical humanities research in the United Kingdom. Reda Hessi was among two recipients, conducting a four-week research project in London titled "The Reception of Curare in Medicine and the Influence of the Pharmaceutical Industry." Hessi expressed appreciation for the opportunity, noting it would enhance his research and expand his viewpoint. Program information is accessible at https://www.americanosler.org/content/awards-scholarships/international-medical-student-scholarship-program, while details about Faustino Bernadett's philanthropic efforts can be found at https://www.bernadett.org/.
The 2025 American Osler Society meeting effectively highlighted the convergence of medicine and humanities, with McGill's involvement playing a crucial role in advancing this objective. Support from the Osler Library Board of Curators and the Montreal community proved essential for facilitating student attendance. This event underscores the rising significance of historical and ethical perspectives in medical education, as institutions increasingly recognize that comprehending medicine's past can guide improved practices and policies for the future. The growth of scholarship opportunities like the Bernadett program indicates expanding investment in developing medical professionals capable of critically engaging with healthcare's social and historical dimensions.
