title: [Medical novels as a supplement to medical literature in the (postgraduate) study of medicine].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Medically relevant fiction and biographies are thought to possibly improve the reader's emotional competences, thus contributing to the (postgraduate) study of medicine. This paper evaluates whether medical novels might be relevant in the (postgraduate) study of medicine.
  
  
  METHODS
  The contents of four medical novels were evaluated qualitatively as regard to the professional and cultural contents and relevance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The medical novels were composed uniformly and considered to be both professional and cultural subjects. The professional subjects were mostly described correctly, and milieu and cultural subjects were realistic.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The contents of the medical novels were relevant, but briefly described. Students of medicine and junior doctors may identify with the environment and the cultural subjects. It is not ruled out that medical novels can be used to acquire cultural competences, but - as regards professional knowledge - the study of professional literature will be more time-effective.
authors.affiliation: Medicinsk Enhed, Hjerteafdelingen, Afsnit 253, Hvidovre Hospital, Kettegård Allé 30, 2650 Hvidovre, Denmark. landex@dadlnet.dk
authors.forename: Nadia Lander
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Landex
mesh_terms: D003479:Curriculum; D003718:Denmark; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing / Q000379:methods; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000379:methods; D004645:Empathy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008513:Medicine in Literature; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology