Resumen de Literature in medical teaching: the crucial importance of literature in the education of medical students

Josep Eladi Baños i Díez, Elena Guardiola

• Recent years have seen an increase in the interest for the use of literature in the medical context with different objectives. First of all, its use as a pedagogical tool for medicine students made it possible to improve necessary professional competencies that were difficult to achieve with traditional biologist education. Secondly, patients’ accounts have become very interesting to understand how they live their disease. Finally, the usefulness of literary works as an enhancing tool in order to improve the quality of life of patients is starting to be recognised. In conclusion, literature constitutes an element with great formative interest that can improve the relationship with patients because it allows a better understanding of their disease.