To transform western medicine by synergizing the power of modern biomedicine with the potential for healing of every person who seeks the help of a healthcare practitioner. We plan to achieve this objective by serving as champions for whole person care at McGill and in the wider community through our teaching, research and translation of knowledge.

Traditionally, the existential and spiritual aspects of illness and their relationship to health care outcomes have received limited attention within the educational and research environment of North America. In recognition of this fact, the McGill Programs in Integrated Whole Person Care were instituted in February 1999 on the initiative of Dean Abraham Fuks and Dr. Balfour Mount. The initial proposal to develop and to implement the Programs established the need for further research studies and educational programs that address the subjective experience of illness so as to include the spiritual and/or existential components of personhood, as well as the physical and emotional elements that are currently the focus of attention in the medical profession.

The McGill Programs in Whole Person Care are based on the premise that in situations in which treatment is unable to change the disease outcome, it may be possible to create a space in which healing can occur. Lessons about quality of life and individuation, learned in the arena of advanced illness, also have relevance earlier in the disease trajectory and for those who are physically well. While the existential/spiritual domain is known to be an important determinant of quality of life, there has been little emphasis on integration of these issues in health care. The Programs therefore seek to integrate the physical aspects of personhood along with the psychosocial and existential/spiritual ones, and to better understand how to respond to suffering experienced by the whole person.

We gratefully acknowledge the support of the Donner Canadian Foundation and the Max Bell Foundation. Tax-deductible donations to McGill Programs in Whole Person Care can be made by contacting our office. 

Dr. Tom Hutchinson: How Vulnerability Became a Doctor’s Greatest Gift

Recently retired, Dr. Tom Hutchinson, draws on a lifetime of personal and professional experiences to show how vulnerability became central to his approach to patient care.  A recent article in the Montreal Gazette highlights his childhood challenges, moments of burnout, and the lessons that shaped his ability to connect deeply with patients and mentor medical students.

“Your own experiences in your family, particularly difficult experiences—including illness and death—will be your greatest treasures in learning to relate compassionately to your patients.” – Dr. Tom Hutchinson

At the heart of these reflections is his memoir,The Craft of Medicine, written during a sabbatical in Ireland and published upon his retirement. The book offers an intimate and inspiring exploration of empathy, presence, and human connection as the foundations of medical practice. Now available on Amazon.ca, it serves as a guide for medical students, healthcare professionals, and anyone seeking insight into compassionate care, making it a definitive legacy of his career.