「以文淑世：醫療人文跨領域研究」屬科技部（現國科會）推動規劃補助計畫，自2018年開始執行。本計畫主要目標希望藉由籌辦研習營、讀書會、以及國際研討會等等方式，號召對醫療人文有興趣的文學研究學者加入研究團隊，一方面凝聚外文學門志同道合的學者之研究能量，另一方面也可有效培育年輕學者進行相關領域研究，俾使本土的文學研究者在國際醫療人文研究出類拔萃，也能促使臺灣成為相關領域之研究重鎮。計畫規劃為三年期，主要以舉辦醫療人文國際研習營、國內讀書會、學術團隊方式參與國際互動為主；計畫執行至今已邁入第四年度，舉辦共一期影展、多場國內讀書會及三次研習營，並於2019年六月與中華民國比較文學學會及國立陽明交通大學外文系合辦第四十一屆比較文學年會暨國際研討會；與國際化推廣部分則由計畫成員赴國外參加國際學術研討會議及學術交流。
計畫執行第一年度，自2018年三月起至六月，於陽明交通大學與電影研究中心共同舉行以「跨性別與身心障礙身體」（Transgender and Disabled Bodies）為主題之春季影展。於同年四月及五月在成功大學進行兩場讀書會，分別由王穎老師及張淑麗老師導讀。2018年十一月由計畫共同主持人王穎副教授於成功大學籌辦「2018人文醫療跨領域研究研習營」（The 2018 Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Medical Humanities），以「不等值的生命」（Uneven Distribution of Humanity）為主題，邀集各方學者，透過多元複述，聚焦於具高度瞻性的醫療與跨領域研究議題，連結近年在歐美學界蓬勃發展的失能研究、遷徙研究、生命書寫研究、新自由主義研究等。
計畫執行第二年度，由計畫共同主持人蔡振興教授規劃了一系列自三月至十月一共九場讀書會；此外，本計畫更於2019年6月22日與中華民國比較文學學會於陽明交通大學辦理第四十一屆比較文學學會年會暨國際研討會，會議主題為「新世紀的醫療人文研究」（Medical Humanities in the New Millennium），發表之論文一共58篇，與會人數高達180人以上；緊接著6月24日至26日於淡江大學辦理「2019人類紀中的醫療人文夏季研習營」（The 2019 Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Medical Humanities in the Age of Anthropocene）。
計畫執行第三年度，由計畫共同主持人李翠玉教授規劃了一系列讀書會，特別一提因2020年起新冠肺炎疫情之影響，第三年度讀書會及演講活動多採線上形式，開啟了不一樣的活動模式，更消弭了空間的侷限，擴展聽眾及與會者的族群；第三年計畫並於2021年1月9日至11日於高雄師範大學辦理「2020說老偕老：醫學人文學術研習營」（Walk with the Elderly）。
除了於國內辦理影展、讀書會及研習營外，計畫成員於2018年至2019年期間出席相關國際研討會發表計畫相關之研究成果，總主持人馮品佳教授於2018年四月赴美國史丹佛大學參加國際醫療人文聯盟研討會(International Health Humanities Consortium Conference)，主題為「科學怪人200年」（Frankenstein@200）發表醫療人文主題論文“Listen to the Doctors: Graphic Medicine in Taiwan”，發表內容主要介紹臺灣醫療人員於其圖像創作所呈現的真實醫療現場，發表之投影片後受部落客Comic Nurse之邀請刊登於醫療圖像敘事網頁Graphic Medicine上；計畫共同主持人郭欣茹副教授於2019年三月赴美國芝加哥參加2019年第八屆國際醫療人文聯盟研討會(The Environments of the Health Humanities: Inquiry and Practice)發表論文“Envisaging a Postgenomic Era: Biocapital and the (Re)Inscription of Female Bodies in a Medicalized Society in MaddAddam Trilogy ”；另於同年度七月，則由計畫成員之一王瀚陞副教授赴英國利物浦出席「文化與失能研究中心」兩年舉辦一次的第五屆教育、文化與失能研究會議(Disability and Disciplines: International Conference on Educational, Cultural, and Disability Studies)，發表論文“Returning to Youth: Technology and the Elderly People in Contemporary British Fiction”；計畫總主持人馮品佳教授，於2019年七月受邀赴中國通遼內蒙古民族大學做主題演講，講題為〈醫療敘事∕敘事醫療：《最後期末考》的華裔美國敘事醫學〉。
此外，為更能有效推廣醫療人文研究，計畫執行之初，便於社群臉書上成立社團，至目前有百人觀注社團之活動，藉由此一平台，宣傳活動，並直播讀書會內容，打破因地區而無法參與之限制，讓研究更跨越疆界，同時能有更多的相關學術訊息，例如演講、國內研討會徵稿之互相交流。
“Transforming the World Through Literature: Interdisciplinary Research in Medical Humanities” is a project funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology (now known as the National Science and Technology Council), initiated in 2018. The primary goal of this project is to bring together literary scholars interested in medical humanities through organizing workshops, reading groups, and international symposia. On one hand, it aims to gather like-minded scholars from foreign language and literature disciplines to consolidate research efforts; on the other hand, it provides a platform to nurture young researchers in the field. The long-term vision is to position local literary scholars at the forefront of international medical humanities research and establish Taiwan as a key hub in this field.
Originally planned as a three-year project, its main activities include organizing international summer institutes on medical humanities, domestic reading groups, and academic team participation in international scholarly exchange. Now in its fourth year, the project has held one film festival, numerous reading groups, and three workshops. In June 2019, it co-hosted the 41st Annual Conference of the Comparative Literature Association and an international symposium with the Comparative Literature Association of the Republic of China and the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University. The project also supports international outreach, with members participating in global academic conferences and scholarly exchanges.
In the first year (2018), from March to June, a spring film festival on the theme “Transgender and Disabled Bodies” was held in collaboration with the Film Studies Center at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University. Two reading groups were hosted in April and May at National Cheng Kung University, led by Professors Ying Wang and Shuli Chang. In November 2018, Associate Professor Wang Ying, one of the project’s co-leads, organized The 2018 Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Medical Humanities at National Cheng Kung University, themed “Uneven Distribution of Humanity.” The event brought together scholars to explore emerging interdisciplinary topics in medical research, drawing connections to disability studies, migration studies, life writing, and neoliberalism as these areas flourish in Western academia.
In the second year (2019), co-lead Professor Chen-Hsing Tsai organized a series of nine reading groups from March to October. On June 22, the project co-hosted the 41st Annual Conference of the Comparative Literature Association at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University with the theme “Medical Humanities in the New Millennium.” The conference featured 58 papers and over 180 attendees. From June 24–26, the 2019 Summer Institute on Medical Humanities in the Age of Anthropocene was held at Tamkang University.
In the third year, co-lead Professor Cui-Yu Li organized a series of reading groups. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic beginning in 2020, most reading groups and lectures transitioned online, creating new engagement opportunities by removing geographical constraints and expanding participation. From January 9–11, 2021, the 2020 “Walk with the Elderly”: Medical Humanities Winter Institute was held at National Kaohsiung Normal University.
In addition to domestic film screenings, reading groups, and workshops, project members participated in international conferences to present their research from 2018–2019. Principal investigator Professor Pin-Chia Feng presented at the International Health Humanities Consortium Conference in April 2018 at Stanford University with the theme “Frankenstein@200.” Her paper, “Listen to the Doctors: Graphic Medicine in Taiwan,” highlighted graphic works by Taiwanese medical professionals depicting real-life clinical experiences. Her presentation was later featured on the Graphic Medicine website at the invitation of blogger Comic Nurse.
In March 2019, co-lead Professor Kuo Hsin-Ju presented her paper “Envisaging a Postgenomic Era: Biocapital and the (Re)Inscription of Female Bodies in a Medicalized Society in MaddAddam Trilogy” at the 8th International Health Humanities Consortium Conference in Chicago, themed “The Environments of the Health Humanities: Inquiry and Practice.”
In July of the same year, project member Associate Professor Wang Han-Sheng attended the 5th International Conference on Educational, Cultural, and Disability Studies hosted by the Centre for Culture and Disability Studies in Liverpool, UK, where he presented “Returning to Youth: Technology and the Elderly People in Contemporary British Fiction.” Also in July 2019, Professor Fung was invited to deliver a keynote speech at Inner Mongolia University for the Nationalities in Tongliao, China, titled “Medical Narratives/Narrative Medicine: Chinese American Narrative Medicine in ‘The Final Exam.’”
To further promote research in medical humanities, the project established a Facebook group at its inception. The group now has over 100 followers and serves as a platform for event promotion, livestreaming reading groups, and overcoming geographical barriers to participation. It also helps disseminate relevant academic information, including lectures and local conference calls for papers, fostering broader scholarly exchange.