The Role of Medicine During the Holocaust and Its Contemporary Relevance

Confronting, reflecting upon, and learning about egregious ethical transgressions of health professionals and the medical establishment during Nazism and the Holocaust is needed in all health professions education to support lifelong morally resilient, history-informed professional identity formation. Contemporary relevance of critical reflection on this history for cultivating moral leadership, countering antisemitism and discrimination of all kinds, and preserving human dignity is compelling. Through lenses of medical educator and daughter of a Holocaust survivor, Dr. Wald delves into this dark history and braids the story of her collaboration with the Witten-Herdecke Faculty of Health, Germany within their Auschwitz-Birkenau study trip for health professions students. Impact and outcomes for study trip participants and expanded educational initiatives in the U.S. will be discussed as well as the contemporary relevance.