Beyond the textbook

Rooting in life

Zhou Yi, a graduate student at Harbin Medical University (HMU) in Heilongjiang province, was given a unique final assignment for her "Death Education" course: to write her own epitaph.

"On campus, we celebrate youth, but we rarely address the concept of death," Zhou said. "However, it is only by understanding death that we can truly appreciate life."

In her epitaph, Zhou wrote: "Every individual born through sexual reproduction is unique. Since most of the genetic combinations that could have occurred never had the chance to exist, we are incredibly fortunate to be among the one in a million. Our very existence is, indeed, a miracle."

Yin Mei, director of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at HMU, leads the course.

According to her, over the past decade, this course has evolved from a general education elective into a comprehensive program that includes lectures, salons, and book clubs. It attracts a diverse group of students from the humanities, medical fields, and clinical medicine.

"Being a doctor is about engaging in a dialogue with life," Yin said. This is why she designed the course to combine philosophical discussions about death with practical case studies to guide future medical professionals in their careers.

Zhou took the course during her sophomore year, and it continues to influence both her personal life and her work as a graduate student.

While interning at a hospital, she encountered a patient who had attempted suicide and was taken to the emergency room. As the patient waited for monitoring, Zhou gently held her wrist.

"Even though she might not have been fully conscious, she could still feel the warmth of my hand. This is the 'warmth of life'I could offer her, shaped by my education," Zhou said.