The Department of English would like to congratulate Professor James Phelan for winning the Sir William Osler, MD, Award given by Ohio State College of Medicine's Medicine and the Arts Board. The Osler Award recognizes contributions to the medical humanities and to the Humanism in Medicine and Medicine and the Arts initiatives at Ohio State. 

James is co-recipient of this award (with Elinor Brown and Erin McConnell, both of the College of Medicine) for his inspiring development and co-teaching of "From the Page to the Bedside; Literature for Physicians," an elective course in the College of Medicine. This course is designed on the principles of narrative medicine, specifically that (a) training medical practitioners to view patients not as list of symptoms but as people with stories will improve the efficacy of medical care; and (b) such training can be provided by guided readings and discussions of compelling narratives (fictional and nonfictional) about illness, treatment, and other aspects of medical experience.  Students who complete the elective are given credit for achieving an "Advanced Competency" in their training."  James will receive the Osler Award on April 14 at a gala event featuring singer and actress Maureen McGovern.