George L. Engel
Encyclopedia
George Libman Engel was an American
psychiatrist
. He spent most of his career at the University of Rochester Medical Center
in Rochester, New York
. He is best known his formulation of the biopsychosocial model
, a general theory of illness and healing.
in 1913. He completed his undergraduate degree in chemistry from Dartmouth College
in 1934. In the same year, he entered Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland to study medicine. He received his medical degree in 1938.
in New York City. There physicians such as Eli Moschowitz and Lawrence Kubie were incorporating psychosomatics into the clinical service. At the time, Engel was skeptical of psychoanalysis
and psychosomatic medicine. He was committed to purely physical explanations of disease processes.
Engel began a Research Fellowship in Medicine at Harvard Medical School
and also Graduate Assistant in Medicine at the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital (now Brigham and Women's Hospital
) in 1941. He came under the supervision of physician Soma Weiss
, who at this time was becoming interested in psychosomatics. At this time, he first met with psychiatrist John Romano. Romano had arrived in Boston several years before Engel. With the encouragement from Weiss, Engel and Romano collaborated on a study of delusional patients. In 1942, Romano became chairman of the psychiatry department at the University of Cincinnati
. Romano invited Engel to join the faculty at Cincinnati and Engel accepted the invitation. At this point Engel "converted" to the psychosomatic school.
in 1946. Engel joined Romano in Rochester. He had dual appointments in psychiatry and medicine departments. He was responsible for establishing a medical psychiatric liaison service staffed largely by internists. He became deeply involved in the incorporation of psychiatric training in the medical school curriculum, and also began his own training in psychoanalysis.
Engel began collaboration with Franz Reichsman on the Monica project, a study which extended from Monica's infancy to adulthood, in 1953. By the mid-1950s, he was considered as one of the major figures in psychosomatic studies. He was prominent in the American Psychosomatic Society. He also edited its journal, Psychosomatic medicine and began publishing numerous books and articles on the relation of emotion and disease and on the incorporation of these ideas into medical training and clinical practice. Under his direction, the program at the university became a leading center in the development of psychosomatic theory and training. His ideas came to be termed as the biopsychosocial model
.
The fundamental assumption of the biopsychosocial model is that health and illness are consequences of the interplay of biological, psychological, and social factors. This concept is particularly important in health psychology
. This model was theorised by Engel at Rochester and putatively discussed in a 1977 article in the journal Science
.
and the American Psychiatric Association
for his work.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
psychiatrist
Psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy...
. He spent most of his career at the University of Rochester Medical Center
University of Rochester Medical Center
The University of Rochester Medical Center , located in Rochester, New York, is one of the main campuses of the University of Rochester and comprises the university's primary medical education, research and patient care facilities....
in Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
. He is best known his formulation of the biopsychosocial model
Biopsychosocial model
The biopsychosocial model is a general model or approach that posits that biological, psychological , and social factors, all play a significant role in human functioning in the context of disease or illness...
, a general theory of illness and healing.
Early life
Engel was born in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1913. He completed his undergraduate degree in chemistry from Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
in 1934. In the same year, he entered Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland to study medicine. He received his medical degree in 1938.
Academic career
After completing his medical degree, Engel began an internship at Mount Sinai HospitalMount Sinai Hospital, New York
Mount Sinai Hospital, founded in 1852, is one of the oldest and largest teaching hospitals in the United States. In 2011-2012, Mount Sinai Hospital was ranked as one of America's best hospitals by U.S...
in New York City. There physicians such as Eli Moschowitz and Lawrence Kubie were incorporating psychosomatics into the clinical service. At the time, Engel was skeptical of psychoanalysis
Psychoanalysis
Psychoanalysis is a psychological theory developed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries by Austrian neurologist Sigmund Freud. Psychoanalysis has expanded, been criticized and developed in different directions, mostly by some of Freud's former students, such as Alfred Adler and Carl Gustav...
and psychosomatic medicine. He was committed to purely physical explanations of disease processes.
Engel began a Research Fellowship in Medicine at Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School is the graduate medical school of Harvard University. It is located in the Longwood Medical Area of the Mission Hill neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts....
and also Graduate Assistant in Medicine at the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital (now Brigham and Women's Hospital
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Brigham and Women's Hospital is the largest hospital of the Longwood Medical and Academic Area in Boston, Massachusetts. It is directly adjacent to Harvard Medical School of which it is the second largest teaching affiliate with 793 beds...
) in 1941. He came under the supervision of physician Soma Weiss
Soma Weiss
Soma Weiss was born in Beszterce, Transylvania, then part of Hungary. He studied physiology and biochemistry in Budapest. Immediately after the end of World War I, he emigrated to the United States and qualified in medicine in 1923...
, who at this time was becoming interested in psychosomatics. At this time, he first met with psychiatrist John Romano. Romano had arrived in Boston several years before Engel. With the encouragement from Weiss, Engel and Romano collaborated on a study of delusional patients. In 1942, Romano became chairman of the psychiatry department at the University of Cincinnati
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....
. Romano invited Engel to join the faculty at Cincinnati and Engel accepted the invitation. At this point Engel "converted" to the psychosomatic school.
University of Rochester
Romano was given the opportunity to establish an entirely new psychiatry department at the School of Medicine and Dentistry of the University of Rochester Medical CenterUniversity of Rochester Medical Center
The University of Rochester Medical Center , located in Rochester, New York, is one of the main campuses of the University of Rochester and comprises the university's primary medical education, research and patient care facilities....
in 1946. Engel joined Romano in Rochester. He had dual appointments in psychiatry and medicine departments. He was responsible for establishing a medical psychiatric liaison service staffed largely by internists. He became deeply involved in the incorporation of psychiatric training in the medical school curriculum, and also began his own training in psychoanalysis.
Engel began collaboration with Franz Reichsman on the Monica project, a study which extended from Monica's infancy to adulthood, in 1953. By the mid-1950s, he was considered as one of the major figures in psychosomatic studies. He was prominent in the American Psychosomatic Society. He also edited its journal, Psychosomatic medicine and began publishing numerous books and articles on the relation of emotion and disease and on the incorporation of these ideas into medical training and clinical practice. Under his direction, the program at the university became a leading center in the development of psychosomatic theory and training. His ideas came to be termed as the biopsychosocial model
Biopsychosocial model
The biopsychosocial model is a general model or approach that posits that biological, psychological , and social factors, all play a significant role in human functioning in the context of disease or illness...
.
The fundamental assumption of the biopsychosocial model is that health and illness are consequences of the interplay of biological, psychological, and social factors. This concept is particularly important in health psychology
Health psychology
Health psychology is concerned with understanding how biological, psychological, environmental, and cultural factors are involved in physical health and illness. Health psychologists work alongside other medical professionals in clinical settings, work on behavior change in public health promotion,...
. This model was theorised by Engel at Rochester and putatively discussed in a 1977 article in the journal Science
Science (journal)
Science is the academic journal of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and is one of the world's top scientific journals....
.
Later years
In his later years, Engel never lost his sense of humor and his generosity. He was admired by his students and physicians who worked with him. He died in 1999.Awards and honors
Engel received many awards and honors from the American College of PhysiciansAmerican College of Physicians
The American College of Physicians is a national organization of doctors of internal medicine —physicians who specialize in the prevention, detection, and treatment of illnesses in adults. With 130,000 members, ACP is the largest medical-specialty organization and second-largest physician group in...
and the American Psychiatric Association
American Psychiatric Association
The American Psychiatric Association is the main professional organization of psychiatrists and trainee psychiatrists in the United States, and the most influential worldwide. Its some 38,000 members are mainly American but some are international...
for his work.