About Dimensions
DIMENSIONS: The Center for the Science and Culture of Healthcare
This initiative was conceived by Dr. Lawrence Dorr, a world leader in hip and joint replacement surgery and research. A Cornell alum and trustee, Dorr has observed a growing trend of medical practitioners whose approach to health care is often limited to their scientific training. Experience has taught him that there are many dimensions to effective health care—humanistic and policy-related as well as scientific.
This program is believed to be a first-of-its-kind approach to education and training which places as much emphasis on preparing to heal the patient as treating the affliction. It begins with a strong foundation in natural science courses and labs and matches that with a visionary curriculum of humanities- and social sciences-based courses and activities. Students explore issues such as empathy, communication, creativity, ethics, and the history and economics of medicine so that they ultimately gain a compassionate and well-rounded perspective of the life circumstances of the patient. Students collaborate closely with faculty mentors, travel and conduct fieldwork and research, participate in internships, and meet and learn from renowned professionals. They also benefit from individualized guidance through an expertly staffed health careers advising program.
In the words of Trustee Dr. Lawrence Dorr:
“The care of the patient is 50 percent art and 50 percent science. You have to be able to handle the patient’s psychological needs as well as scientifically treat the disease. If you are not capable of demonstrating concern, giving the patient confidence in your treatment, and communicating what you are trying to do to give them a positive attitude, your effectiveness as a health care professional ultimately will be limited. I am concerned that there is not a focus on the educational aspects of the art of medicine at any level before or during medical school.”
Five Points of Distinction
The following are the five pillars upon which Dimensions: The Center for the Science and Culture of Healthcare is founded:
• Excellent preparation in the Natural Sciences
Excellent preparation in the natural sciences serves appropriately as the core of Dimensions. Above all, students benefit from broad and deep instruction in the traditional fields associated with pre-medical and allied health fields programs. There are also opportunities for students to pursue advance study in the natural sciences.
• An Uncommon Infusion of the Humanities and Social Sciences
What sets this program apart is the emphasis placed on the exploration of empathy, communication, human relationships, and socio-economic dynamics of the individual patient, and the practical aspects of health care in the 21st century. Students broaden their perspectives with courses such as “Healthcare Economics,” “Medical Ethics,” “Comparative Health Policy,” “Drawing: Anatomy and the Body,” “Advanced Science Writing," and "Medical Anthropology." Students also hear various perspectives through on-campus workshops and interdisciplinary seminars.
• Meaningful Integration of Intentional Learning
Intentional learning is more than simply experiential learning. It integrates intangibles such as professional networking, workshops on intricacies of the profession, visiting lecturers, case studies, meaningful summer employment opportunities, internships, study abroad, student group involvement, job shadowing, and service projects. It takes place in classrooms and labs and in practical, hands-on settings around the world during the school year and summer.
• Professional Sculpting
The Dimensions Resource Center provides discipline-specific guidance on careers and professional school options, extensive MCAT and standardized test preparation, strong alumni and industry connections and networks, and advanced career planning services and advising that begin in the student’s first year at Cornell. All of this will take place in a highly personal, individualized manner.
• Success of Cornell Graduates
Success hinges on three outcomes: placement rates of graduates into medical and professional schools; the level of quality based on the names and prestige of those medical and professional schools; and the broad range of professional fields both within and outside of the traditional disciplines associated with health care.
