The NTU Museum of Medical Humanities, originally the campus where the medical faculty of Taihoku Imperial University was based during the Japanese colonial era, stands as a testament to history. The construction of the museum’s earliest structure, designed by Japanese architect Juro Kondo, began in 1907, with the main building completed in 1913, exemplifying a late Renaissance architectural style. Despite numerous restorations, many of the original architectural features have been preserved. Over time, the building’s function has evolved, serving as classrooms, an administrative hub, a center for medical academic activities in Taiwan, a base for medical education reform, and a venue for medical humanities education. In November 2008, it became part of the NTU museum group, transforming into the NTU Museum of Medical Humanities and opening its doors to the public.
The collection and exhibits in the museum focus on the history of medicine in Taiwan, highlighting the medical school’s contributions to modern medicine and medical education. Its aim is to guide visitors toward a comprehensive understanding of humanity, fostering a sense of care and a culture of medicine centered on the individual.
A key exhibit in the museum is “The Statue of a Doctor.” The statue is of a rural doctor seeing a sickened child in the patient’s home. The little patient lied weakly on the chairs laid with blankets, and the doctor looks at his patient with one hand supporting his chin. Sitting by the temporarily set up bed, the doctor lowers his head and focuses on observing the sick child. The doctor’s care and affection towards the child are beyond words.
The statue was made by Doctor Wen-Hsuing Chiu, who graduated in 1945 from Taipei Medical Professional School, Taihoku (Taipei) Imperial University. Doctor Chiu completed the statue in 1969 based on the painting “The Doctor” by a late 19th century English painter, Sir Luke Fildes (1843 – 1927). As a gift to commemorate the 20th Graduation Anniversary of Professor Bo-Chao Huang, the former Dean of the College of Medicine and a graduate of the third graduation class of NTU School of Medicine (1949), and his classmates, the statue symbolizes their gratitude to NTU School of Medicine, and, at the same time, encourages students of the School of Medicine to become doctors with empathy and compassion.
Figure 1. Full view of “The Statue of a Doctor.”
Figure 2. Close-up of “The Statue of a Doctor.”
Figure 3. Exterior of the NTU Museum of Medical Humanities.