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Latest News
Dr.Padela recently got published in the Chest. The manuscript uses a clinical case to work through Muslim controversies over brain death and withdrawing life support Here is the link
The recording for our Live Webinar on "Advancing equity for Muslim physicians in the healthcare workforce" and the policy report that stems from our research is available now at : click here
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Fostering Connections Between Science And Theology For Medical Track Muslim Students

Overview

Fostering Connections between Bioscience and Theology for Medical Track Muslim Students is a new project that II&M is launching in 2022 with the generous support of the John Templeton Foundation (JTF). We aim to help teachers and students gain conceptual literacy on some critical topics at the intersection between science and theology.

As Muslim students explore the biosciences, they may encounter difficult questions and wonder how their religious identity intersects with scientific discoveries: Does affirming scientific facts compromise religious beliefs? Does religion explain scientific findings? How can they navigate these domains constructively? We believe that conflicts are not inevitable, and that knowledge integration is possible and can shape stable professional identities in the future.

The project activities include:

  • Seminar series for Muslim high school juniors and seniors.
  • Designing of curriculum and instructional materials.
  • Implementation of professional workshops for teachers and college instructors.
  • Student essays and podcast

AIMS/GOALS

1

Build conceptual literacy among students and teachers on critical topics at the intersection between bioscience and theology.

2

Enhance students’ awareness and abilities to address the relationships – including overlap and tension – between bioscience and theology.

3

Increase students’ intention and preparedness to pursue further inquiry in this field.

Develop relevant teaching modules for Islamic high school/college teachers and instructors.

Program Approach

Our team consisting of theologians, scientists and educators will conduct a series of seminars that are specifically designed for Muslim high school seniors using a multimodal learning approach. Subsequently, we will develop teaching modules for teachers/instructors. The seminar topics are:

  • What do we know and how do we know it? Reasoning Exercises in Religion and Science.
  • Human Evolution and God’s Special Creation.
  • What does it mean to be Human? Neuroscience, Artificial Intelligence, and Human Nature.
  • Human Enhancement and Transhumanism: Are we changing / should we change our being?
  • Are We Programmed or Do We Have Free Will? Discussions on Fate and Genetic Determinism.
  • Extraterrestrial Beings and Human Uniqueness: What does Science & Theology Tell us?
  • Knowledge Cafes and Harvest: Panel Presentations & Moderated Discussions.

Expected Outcomes

  • Educational curriculum and materials that are specifically crafted for Muslim High school students.
  • Teaching modules for Islamic school teachers and/or college instructors.
  • Essays written by seminar participants (students) that describe their learning experiences and how the
    program transforms their knowledge and understanding.
  • Educational materials for the public (eg. flyers, podcasts, etc).

Stakeholders/Partners

  • This program is led by Dr Aasim Padela from the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) as the Project Leader, in collaboration with International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) and Initiative on Islam and Medicine (II&M). Other partners include Darul Qasim, Islamic Schools League of America (ISLA) and High-Quality Educational Consulting (HQEC).
  • The seminar series will be run in collaboration with Islamic High Schools across Chicagoland and Milwaukee that include the Muslim Community Center (MCC) Academy, Islamic Foundation School, College Preparatory School of America and Salam School.

Seminars

  • Date: 14 & 15 Jan, 2023, 18 & 19 Feb, 2023
  • Audience: High school juniors(11th graders) and seniors(12th graders) from islamic schools
  • Application Deadline: November 28, 2022.

Application process:

  • Complete the online application form & upload a recommendation letter
  • Either write an essay OR prepare a 5-minute video of yourself explaining your interest in this program

Topics

  • Is evolution compatible with Islam?
  • Do humans have soul? What do science & religion say about this?
  • Do humans really have free will?
  • Are we moving towards trans-humanism?
  • Do aliens exist? If they do, what that would the mean to human existence?

Form For Teachers and Observers

Publications

will be available soon

Presentations

will be available soon

Policy Reports

will be available soon

Tool Kits

will be available soon

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    Project Materials

    Testimonial

    Meet The Project Team

    OUR TEAM CONSISTS OF SCIENTISTS, EDUCATORS & THEOLOGIANS FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE.

    Videos

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    Gallery

    Partners

    Our Research has been featured in five of the top news outlest in the U.S, including the following heading pieces:

    The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors. They do not reflect the opinions or views of the grant funding organizations.

    Initiative on Islam and Medicine © 2022 - All Rights Reserved. Designed and Powered By Digaptics

    Mufti Nazim Khutbah

    Padela Khutbah

    Shkifah Khutbah

    Intervention Study

    Qualitative Study and Interviews

    Fifty Muslim multiethnicity women (40 years old and above) were interviewed (6 focused group) and 19 in individual interviews. We found religious beliefs did informed mammography intention, which includes (1) the perceived religious duty to care for one’s health, (2) religious practices as methods of disease prevention, (3) fatalistic notions about health, and (4) comfort with gender concordant health care.

    Quantitative Study and survey

    240, 40 years of age or older, were surveyed (72 respondents were Arab, 71 South Asian, 59 African American, and 38 from another ethnicity). We found that positive religious coping and perceived religious discrimination in health settings significantly (negatively) affected mammogram adherence among Muslim women in Chicago.

    American Cancer Society mammogram recommendations

    Mammogram recommendation for women at average risk or breast cancer

    • Women between 40 and 44 have a choice to have a mammography every year.
    • Women 45 to 54 should get mammograms every year.
    • Women 55 and older can switch to a mammogram every other year, or they can choose to continue yearly mammograms.

    3R model

    Reframing “switch train tracks”
    • Keep the barriers belief intact but change the way one thinks about it so it is consonant with the desired health behavior
    • Normalizes the barrier belief
    Reprioritize: “show them a better train”
    • Introduce a new belief and create higher valence for it than the barrier belief
    • Normalization of the barrier belief is optional
    Reform: “breakdown the train carriage”
    • Negate the barrier belief by demonstrating its faults by appealing to authority structures

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