By Rachel Krevh, M4 and a member of the Virtuous Healer Honor Society (VHHS)
What is the Virtuous Healer Honor Society?
VHHS is a society that recognizes students, residents and faculty who exemplify the attributes of a virtuous healer: altruism, compassion, curiosity, generosity, humility, justice and moral imagination.
How did you hear about VHHS?
Before I came to NEOMED, I attended a medical school graduation and heard about the Gold Humanism Honor Society (GHHS). GHHS is made up of students and physicians who are “recognized for compassionate care” and “support the human connection in health care, which is essential for the health of patients and clinicians.” I aspired to be a part of this society since empathy and compassion are central to my approach to patient care. The NEOMED chapter of GHHS was the predecessor to VHHS, so I sought to be a part of VHHS at NEOMED to educate others on the importance of empathetic care.
What is your favorite part about being a VHHS member?
My favorite part is collaborating with my fellow VHHS members and faculty to organize service events and continually give back to my community. I am excited about our upcoming service events, namely the “Teddy Care Clinic” on March 23, 2024, which aims at giving checkups to stuffed animals with the purpose of making doctor’s visits less scary for kids. We are also organizing a “Be The Match” bone marrow drive to find donors for life-saving blood stem cell transplants.
How does being a VHHS member better help you as a student?
As a VHHS member, I have the privilege to delve into a wide array of service initiatives that has broadened my outlook on medicine as a student. Engaging with the community allows me to gain a deeper understanding of our community’s needs and to address these challenges with my fellow VHHS members. I also intend to carry the innovative ideas from our VHHS meetings to continually contribute to positive change throughout residency and beyond.
How can you join VHHS?
Students in VHHS are first nominated by their peers and later complete an application to be inducted into the society. We encourage you to nominate fellow students who exemplify the attributes of a virtuous healer, and hope you can join us at our coming events!
Nominations open
Here's how you can nominate someone for the honor society.