Edvin Schei - professor, MD PhD

Married to Tiri, singer and teacher of music
Three children, born in 1991, 1992 and 1995

Section for General Practice
Kalfarveien 31, N-5018 Bergen, Norway

Tel. 47-55 58 61 00
E-mail: Edvin.Schei@isf.uib.no

1997 - Present: 50% position as associate professor, Division for General Practice, Department of Public Health and Primary Health Care, University of Bergen, Norway.

1996-98: Associate Professor, Centre for Clinical Competence in General Practice, Department of Public Health and Primary Health Care, University of Bergen, Norway

1995-96: Working scholarship from the Norwegian Cancer Union, for completion of book I kongens klær. En veileder til militærtjenesten [Guide to the military service]. Book written during a six month stay with family in Andalucía, Spain. Planning coordinator, the Norwegian Medical Association's evaluation of general practitioners' specialist training.

1994-95: Associate Professor, Division for Preventive Medicine, Institute of Community Medicine, University of Tromsø

1988-94: Research fellow of the Norwegian Cancer Union, Division for Preventive Medicine, Institute of Community Medicine, University of Tromsø

1998-Present: Part time position as general practitioner in Bergen, presently 50 %.

1988-1998: Part time work as on-call general practitioner

1986: Military service as Head Surgeon of the Brigade North

1984-86: Internship, Namdal Hospital and Kautokeino municipality

2003: Full clinical position in the Department of internal medicine at the hospital Haraldsplass Diakonale Sykehus, Bergen, Norway.

My Ph.D. project on mental health and life style changes in conscripted soldiers was initiated while I was a conscripted Army physician. Funded by the Norwegian Cancer Union I conducted three surveys with approximately 6000 respondents. Thesis entitled The Military Service: Mental Distress and Changes in Health Related Behaviours among Norwegian Army Conscripts defended in 1995, at the University of Tromsø. This work gave me a basic knowledge of epidemiology, medical statistics and survey methods.

From 1991 to 1995 I was scientific coordinator of a school based smoking intervention program in the county of Nordland, with annual surveys of students ages 12 to 18. A considerable reduction in smoking incidence was obtained.

In 1995-96 I planned and carried out a survey-based evaluation of group based continuing medical education of general practitioners, on behalf of the Norwegian Medical Association.

Project manager of a research project concerning "the geneticization of Western culture", based on a case study of DeCode Genetics, in Iceland, carried out by research fellow Stefán Hjörleifsson. The project is funded by the Norwegian Research Council.

My main project currently is a study of the relationship between professional and personal abilities in clinical work. Title: The importance of being a person. Ethical and existential dimensions of medicine.

Since 1988 I have taught preventive medicine, statistics, epidemiology, general practice, clinical communication and medical philosophy to medical students. I have developed and evaluated new programs in pre- and post-graduate medical education, using interactive, process-oriented educational methods (publications 15, 16, 17, 20, 21). I am the main author of the chapter on clinical communication in the first Nordic textbook of general practice, published in 2003.

I have considerable experience with the press, including TV and radio, and have collaborated with journalists on a number of occasions. In 1992 a working scholarship from the Norwegian Research Council allowed me to spend six weeks with radio reporters in the Norwegian Broadcasting Company, doing radio programs based on my Army research.

In 1998, I initiated, with a group of colleagues, a series of monthly public debates concerning medical education, medical humanities, and the biomedical professional culture. An organisation called Filosofisk Poliklinikk (FP) has developed, of which I am the leader. The aims of FP are to enhance awareness of humanistic topics in medicine, to encourage public debate about medical ethics, and to stimulate reflection, play and aesthetical activities in medical education. We cooperate closely with medical students, a group of whom are members of FP. I am still the leader of FP. Since 1998, 45 meetings in FP have been arranged, with audiences averaging 80-150 persons. From 1999 to 2000 FP was funded by the Norwegian Research Council. Present funding comes from the Norwegian Cancer Union.

Several spin-offs of FP's activities have developed. In 2001, FP was invited to co-edit a series of articles on medical ethics and philosophy of science in the Journal of the Norwegian Medical Association (papers 9, 10, 11, 12). Filosofisk Polilinikk is central in the Nordic Network for Humane Medicine, founded in Iceland in 2001. In 2002, FP arranged an international conference in Rosendal, Norway, entitled "Dialogue and dignity. Exploring medicine's relational foundations", in cooperation with the Norwegian Medical Association. The seminar, experimental in organisation and pedagogical approaches, was a success. In 2003 a second seminar was arranged, entitled "Health, Culture and Self. Exploring Modernity's Challenges to Medicine". The 2004 follow-up seminar is entitled The Meaning of Risk: Exploring the Foundations of Medical Evidence. .

Filosofisk Poliklinikk's web site is http://www.uib.no/isf/filpol/.

BIBLIOGRAPHY (excerpts)

Books and book chapters

1. Frich J, Schei E, Stene-Johansen K, eds. På sykeleiet - sykdom og medisin i litteraturen [Antology of medical texts from the world literature]. Oslo, Gyldendal 2004 (in print).
2. Schei E. "Den kliniske samtalen. [The clinical dialogue]". In: Hunskås S. Allmennpraksis [Textbook of general practice]. Oslo, Gyldendal Akademiske, 2003.
3. Schei E. "Makt i lege-pasientforholdet [Power in the physician-patient relationship]". In: Fugelli P., ed. Medisin og makt [Medicine and prower]. Maktutredningen, Oslo, 2003.
4. Schei E. "Er du riktig klok, doktor? [How wise are you, doctor?]" Norwegian Broadcasting Company, P2-akademiet (radio essays), volume V, 2002.
5. Schei E, Gulbrandsen A, eds. Forstår du, doktor? Mot en humanistisk legeutdanning [Do you understand, doctor? Towards a humanistic medical education.] Oslo: Tano Aschehoug, 2000.
6. Schei E. "Helsebegrepet i bevegelse [The Health Concept in Motion]". In: Skjærven LH, ed. Bevegelseskvalitet, kunst og helse [Quality of movement, art and health]. Bergen: Høgskolen i Bergen, 1999.
7. Schei E. I kongens klær. En veileder til militærtjenesten [A guide to the military service]. 184 p. Oslo, Universitetsforlaget, 1996.
8. Schei E. "Legen - et får i ulveklær? [The doctor - a sheep in wolf's clothes?]" In: Kirkengen AL, Jørgensen J, eds. Medisinsk teori. Tanker om sykdom og tanker om helse [Medical theory]. Tano: Oslo, 1993: 105-14.

   Doctoral thesis

9. Schei E. The Military Service: Mental Distress and Changes in Health Related Behaviours among Norwegian Army Conscripts. University of Tromsø, 1994.

   Journal articles and essays

10. Schei E. "Menneskekunnskap som klinisk kompetanse. [Human knowledge as clinical competence]" J Norw Med Assoc 2001;121:1122-5.
11. Strand R, Schei E. "Gjør kunnskap vondt? [Does knowledge hurt?]" J Norw Med Assoc 2001;121:1502-6
12. Johansson KA, Ohldieck C, Aase M, Schei E. "Skjebnezapping - medisinsk grunnopplæring, legestudenters dannelse og den etiske fordring. [Zapping fates - medical education and the ethical challenge]." J Norw Med Assoc 2001;121:1618 - 21
13. Schei E. "Hvordan blir kloke studenter kloke leger? [How do wise students become wise doctors?]" J Norw Med Assoc 2001;121:1561.
14. Schei E, Norheim OF, Rørtveit G, Lysebo DE, Hjørleifsson S. "Legen - den enøyde samaritan? [Doctors - One-eyed Samaritans?]" J Norw Med Assoc 2000;120:1207-9.
15. Schei E. "Fundamentalisme i hvitt? Om makt og autoritetsunderkastelse i medisin og helsefag [Fundamentalism in white? On power and submission in medicine and the health professions]". Omsorg 1998;16:63-7. This essay was awarded the prize for "Best Essay in 1999" in Omsorg, the journal of the Norwgian Palliative Association.
16. Schei E, Bærheim A, Meland E. "Klinisk kommunikasjon: Et strukturert undervisningsopplegg [Clinical communication. A structured educational program]". J Norw Med Assoc 2000;120: 2258-61
17. Meland E, Schei E, Bærheim A. "Pasientsentrert medisin: En oversikt med vekt på bakgrunn og dokumentasjon [Patient centred medicine. An overview]". J Norw Med Assoc 2000;120: 2253-6.
18. Bærheim A, Meland E, Schei E. "Konsultasjonsundervisning i medisinstudiet: Studentenes evaluering [Consultation training - medical students' evaluation]". J Norw Med Assoc 2000;120: 2263-5.
19. Jægtvik T, Schei E. "Hjemmebrent - hvilken rolle spiller den for ungdomsfylla? En tverrsnittsstudie fra Alstahaug kommune [Home made liquor, consequences for adolescent alcohol behaviour]". J Norw Med Assoc, 1999;119: 2010-4
20. Svoen N, Schei E. "Adolescent smoking prevention. Primary health care in cooperation with local schools. A controlled intervention study". Scand J Prim Health Care, 1999; 17: 54-8
21. Schei E, Gulbrandsen A, Skjerven T. "Praksis læres i praksis [Practicing is learned in practice. Report from a group based program for reciprocal practice visits]". J Norw Med Assoc 1998; 118: 2975-8.
22. Schei E, Gulbrandsen A, Skjerven T. "Hvordan utvikles profesjonell kompetanse? [How is professional competence developed?]" J Norw Med Assoc 1998;118(19):2979-81.
23. Schei E, Hoftvedt B. "Obligatorisk kollegaveiledning: hva mener spesialistkandidatene i allmennmedisin om utdanningen i praktiske ferdigheter? [Supervision by colleagues in general practice specialist training.]" J Norw Med Assoc 1998;118(6):895-9.
24. Schei E. "Hva betyr "jeg"? [What does "I" mean?]" Samtiden nr. 2, 1996, 63-70.
25. Schei E. "Tobacco habits, lifestyle, and reactions to smoking restrictions among Norwegian military officers." Military Medicine, 1992; 157; 636-40.
26. Schei E. "Medisin og hjernevask. [Medicine and Brain Wash]" Samtiden nr 5, 1991, 43-6. Nordisk Medicin nr. 2 1992, 62-64.
27. Svoen N, Schei E. "Røyking av tablettar - epidemi blant ungdom i ein utkantkommune i Nordland [Epidemic smoking of tablets among adolescents]". J Norw Med Assoc 1991; 111, 2530-2.
28. Schei E, Svoen N. "Røyking og snusbruk blant ungdom i to nordlandskommuner. Resultater fra en spørreskjemaundersøkelse i Steigen og Gildeskål våren 1989 [Cigarette smoking and use of smokeless tobacco in Nordland adolescents. A survey based study]". J Norw Med Assoc 1991; 111, 2533-6.
29. Schei E, Fønnebø V, Svoen N. "Alkoholbruk og sniffing blant ungdom i to nordlandskommuner [Alcohol use in Nordland adolescents. A survey based study]". J Norw Med Assoc 1991; 111: 2538-41.

    Oral presentations

30. Schei E. "Dignity in medicine." Invited paper at the 12th Nordic Congress of General Practice, Trondheim, Norway, 2002.
31. Schei E. Why can't patients just say what they want? Paper at the XVIth European Conference on Philosophy of Medicine and health Care, Malta 2002.
32. Schei E. "Power in medicine". Paper given at the seminar "Dialogue and dignity. Exploring medicine's relational foundations", Rosendal 2002.
33. Schei E. "Helsevesenet er Valium for folket. [Health care is Valium for the People]." Invited paper for Fagrådet innen rusvern i Norge, november 2001.
34. Schei, E. "Fremtidens medisin: Handlekraft eller dømmekraft? [Medcine of the future, power to act or power of judgement?]" Invited paper at the conference "Feil i medisinen" [Medical mistakes], Bergen, November 2000.
35. Schei, E. "The physician-patient relationship: medicine or magic?" Oral presentation at the Second World Congress of Philosophy of Medicine, Cracow, aug. 2000.
36. Schei E. "Hvit magi. Om medisinens symbolske og religiøse betydning. [White magic. On the symbolic and religious significance of medicine]" papere given in Filosofisk Poliklinikk Feb 1999, Bergen.
37. Schei, E. "The doctor's dilemma: how to treat the patient as a sacred being and as an object of manipulation at the same time." Oral presentation at the international conference "Is Hippocrates sick", Oslo 1997.
38. Schei E. "Helsevesenets eksistensielle budskap. [The existential messages of the health care system]" Invited paper for Fagrådet innen rusvern i Norge, october 1996.

    Internet publications

39. From 1999 to 2000 I was engaged by the web based health information service Nettdoktor.no to write short philosophical comments (Filosofisk bakvakt, forum for medisinsk filosofi og kulturkritikk). 28 articles were published, and can be found at http://pro.nettdoktor.no/filosofisk/

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Department of Public Health and Primary Health Care, last updated 27.09.08