Joint Scientific Research by Al-Nahrain University College of Medicine Academics Published in Culture, Medicine, and Psychiatry

In a new scientific achievement added to the research and medical education record of the College of Medicine, Al-Nahrain University, a joint research paper entitled:

“Healing Minds Through Education: Cultural Pathways to Medical and Health Humanities in Post-conflict Iraq”

has been published in Culture, Medicine, and Psychiatry, an international journal published by Springer Nature. The journal is ranked Q1 (First Quartile) and specializes in the intersections of culture, medicine, mental health, and the medical humanities. The paper was published on September 3, 2026, in Volume 50, Article 56 (2026).

The research was co-authored by:

• Lecturer Dr. Bushra Juhi Jani – Supporting Sciences Unit, College of Medicine, Al-Nahrain University

• Assistant Professor Dr. Lama Kareem Mohammed – Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, Al-Nahrain University

• Dr. Nawal Juhi Jani

The study discusses the cultural, psychological, and ethical dimensions of suffering in Iraq following decades of political instability, wars, and social fragmentation. It explores the potential of medical and health humanities as a complementary component of scientific medical training, contributing to professional development as well as psychological and social recovery.

The study employed a three-round Delphi consensus methodology conducted during 2024–2025, involving 22 physicians, medical educators, and humanities researchers in Iraq. It also drew on an initial practical experience involving the implementation of the course “English through Medical and Health Humanities” for first-year medical students at the College of Medicine, Al-Nahrain University, during the 2023–2024 academic year.

The findings demonstrated an 85% level of consensus among participants regarding the importance of integrating medical and health humanities into medical curricula. The study emphasizes that incorporating the humanities into medical education does not replace scientific rigor; rather, it complements scientific training in preparing future medical students and physicians.

The research presents the Iraqi experience as a promising model for exploring the cultural and educational role of medical humanities in community recovery and in building a more humane healthcare system capable of responding effectively to the lasting effects of conflict.

Media and Government Communication Division
College of Medicine – Al-Nahrain University