Dr Ruben Verwaal Launches ‘Yo, Doc, Listen Up!’ Exhibition about Deafness, Hardness of Hearing & Inclusive Healthcare

The ‘Yo, doc, listen up!’ exhibition, made possible through the support of the Institute for Medical Humanities, Erasmus Medical Centre, and the Dutch Research Council, is the product of Ruben Verwaal's research project, ‘Deafness in Transition’, which aims to uncover cultural experiences and medical perceptions of deafness in Early Modern Europe. To this end, ‘Yo, doc, listen up!’ aims to raise awareness among medical students and healthcare professionals about the many obstacles that Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (DHH) patients regularly encounter.

Furthermore, the exhibition aims to explore the rich and long history of Deafness and hardness of hearing by means of objects, art illustrations, photographs, and videos. Together, these creative outputs tell the stories and personal experiences of both DHH patients and healthcare professionals.

‘Nothing About Us, Without Us!’

Many DHH interest groups in the Netherlands were involved in the development of this exhibition. Over the course of two years, representatives of these organisations came together in conversation as an Expert Group to share ideas, with their personal stories and multiple perspectives greatly benefitting the quality of the exhibition.

Where & When?

‘Yo, doc, listen up!’ is currently exhibited in the Erasmus Medical Centre in Rotterdam from 1 July to 30 September 2022, a group who have recently steered their attention towards issues related to equality, diversity and inclusion in the curriculum to better prepare students for their work as doctors in a diverse society.

Further information related to the exhibition can be found (in Dutch) here. An online version of the exhibition in English is also due to be launched on ‘World Day of the Deaf’, 25 September 2022.