Patch Adams

Patch Adams

Introduction

Patch Adams is a film about Dr. Hunter Adams, who believes that the medical profession should embrace more humanistic traits like compassion, joy, and hope to treat patients. Humanism, as advanced by Maslow, states that people achieve their full potential by moving from basic needs to seeking self-actualization (Taormina, and Gao, 2013). Dr. Adams aims at changing the traditional mindset of medicine by using comedy, humor, and compassion to lift up their spirits of patients and give them a new lease of hope. One of the outstanding traits of the film is the use of names to drive the main theme of the film. In this paper, I discuss how the film uses names to achieve its thematic relevance.

The use of names as a thematic tool in Patch Adams

One of the ways the film effectively uses names is when Mendelsohn nicknames Dr. Hunter “Patch” (YouTube [Video], n.d.). The word patch means mending and strengthening. In the film, Patch is a person who brings laughter and joy and a person who instills hope for his patients. This name is relevant to the theme of the film since the protagonist becomes a strong advocate of compassionate care while giving patients joy and hope. This renaming resembles the main character’s role in changing the profession for the better after he is challenged by Mendelson to think outside the box, focus on the solution and not the problem (Patch Adams, 2014). In line with Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, Patch is in need of self-actualization, and he feels that if he makes a small difference for patients, he realizes his potential because he stays true to his beliefs and values..

Secondly, the naming of the Gesundheit Hospital with the help of Mendelson helps to show the lengths to which Dr. Patch aimed at transforming the world. The naming of the hospital is based on the true story of Hunter Doherty Adams, who founded the Gesundheit Hospital between 1971 and 1984 as a free community hospital (Patch Adams, 2014). The aim of the hospital was to allow medical students to think beyond the obvious and embrace compassion, connection, humor, joy, and play in the care of patients for better outcomes. This entrenches the main theme through seeking self-actualization and developing viable solutions for humanity in order to find your true meaning in life.

Another instance we see the use of names to achieve the theme is the use of the name Carin. Carin comes out as a caring character in the film that does her best to take care of Dr. Patch before she meets her death through a gruesome murder (YouTube [Video], n.d.). Throughout the film, she is seen offering a calming touch to not only the protagonist but to Lawrence Silver, who is a mentally disturbed patient in order to find meaning in life. She realizes that wisdom does not come from conformity but in focusing on solutions and not just the problem.

Conclusion

There is a lot to learn from this film. Personally, I have had peak experiences in my life, but I must say I have yet to seek self-actualization, but I am seeking truth, safety, and belonging. I believe that mindset is what hinders people from achieving their full potential. For example, education has boxed us to think in a similar way, which robs us of our creativity. Most often, at times, we fear for the worst and conform to save our skins and align with everyone else. In the process, we lose our identity, purpose, and meaning and get lost in the crowd. As Mendelson states in the film, it’s time we start seeing beyond the obvious and start focusing on the solutions and not just the problem.

References

Patch Adams. (2014, May 8). Gesundheit! Institute. https://www.patchadams.org/patch-adams/

Taormina, & Gao. (2013). Maslow and the Motivation Hierarchy: Measuring Satisfaction of the Needs. The American Journal of Psychology, 126(2), 155. https://doi.org/10.5406/amerjpsyc.126.2.0155

YouTube [Video]. (n.d.). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBDgLL2de_c