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As we have noted, religion and spirituality may enter the medical research sphere on a personal level, where researchers see their work as part of a Divine calling. The individual may view medical research as part of an obligation to serve humanity and thereby indirectly attain Divine grace. A researcher may decide to work toward ameliorating a particular disease, like diabetes, because it ravages a large swath of humanity – or works to serve an underprivileged community with worse health outcomes in order to bring about health equality. A spiritual researcher may even engage to serve his religious community by investigating health conditions that are more prevalent among a population within his or her own religious community. These sorts of research endeavors encompass a drive to bring about maximal scientific benefit, but also contain an element of Divine service.

A medical researcher who is motivated by religious concerns may also strive to focus his activities upon a more vertical plane, whereby he works to develop within himself the sort of moral character that is pleasing to God and other humans. For example, he may practice prayers that help him stay in connection with God and through that connection instill virtuous behaviors – thereby becoming a better servant of God and as well the community that he serves.

These two dimensions (horizontal and vertical) involve the formation of the researcher and are often pursued simultaneously; as such, there may be places for overlap. A case example is a researcher who employs his skills to introduce virtues into the medical education curricula, affecting physician behaviors and patient care in the process. Another example is a researcher who examines the ways in which religion impacts patient behaviors and works to develop healthcare systems that serve the religious and spiritual needs of patients, clinicians, and researchers alike.

The content presented in this chapter may enable a future researcher to render a deeper consideration of the idea that a fundamental relationship exists between the rigorous scientific growth and spirituality, and to encourage further reflection and meditation on the universal and particular aspects of this perspective.