“Life beats down and crushes the soul
and art reminds you that you have one”
-Stella Adler
The art of medicine is a concept that has always caught my attention, ever since I first encountered it as a pre-medical student shadowing an OBGYN on labor and delivery. Wide eyed and early in my own medical journey, I recall a specific mother from that day who, while on the cusp of delivery, became overwhelmed with the circumstances of her situation. This physician was able to connect with, comfort, and empower her in a way that left me impressed. From my point of view he said exactly the right things, validated her, and helped her find the perspective she needed in that moment. She pushed on and her delivery went forward without a hitch.
I later commented on how well I thought he handled the interaction. “That’s where the art comes in,” he said with a shrug. His response has stuck with me.
Medicine is unique as a field in its blending of human experience and intellectualism, often referred to as the “art and science of medicine”. Being an excellent physician requires both. Even if a practitioner has a wealth of knowledge and perfect critical thinking, without traits like emotional intelligence, observational skills, and empathy, their practice of medicine will never reach its full potential.
Medical schools understand this more than ever and face the task of constructing a curriculum that addresses both the science and art of medicine. While they are well versed in the former, the latter is often more uncharted territory; and they’re not alone in feeling that way. Medical students are likely more familiar with curriculum focused on formal sciences than those related to humanities. After all, such a science focused approach is largely how students end up in medical school in the first place. And perhaps that is exactly the reason why humanities are needed, even if it takes students out of their comfort zone and forces them to think in a way that is different from that which has traditionally been associated with medical education.
All this to say that integration of humanities-based learning opportunities requires buy-in from both educators and learners. Coming from both parties, it’s fair to ask whether such efforts to make additions to curriculum even move the needle in developing diverse and emotionally mature thinkers. Some believe that these traits are more inherent anyways, and after all, it’s already a very busy 4 years. Thankfully, research has ramped up its efforts to dispel such notions. For our purposes consider Zhang et al. (2023), a meta analysis of 15 studies that investigated the effect of humanities programs in medical education on empathy. Unsurprisingly, it found that said programs significantly increased empathy when measured by standardized evaluations (mainly the Jefferson Empathy Scale). Perhaps more interesting is what the programs themselves contained. While some were composed of more formal courses, others consisted of creative writing assignments, and still others were based on art exposure. The results all came back the same. Empathy was increased regardless of whether the students were required to analyze, create, or even just appreciate art, and every effort of the schools to facilitate it appears to be rewarded.
In other words, the scientific argument for the benefits of curriculum focused on the art of medicine leaves little room for doubt regarding the efficacy of such efforts.
However, such research may be telling us something that we already fundamentally know. On some level, we all understand the importance of the arts and humanities. It’s woven into our very makeup. Think back to a piece of art that has impacted you. Perhaps a book comes to mind. Or a painting, poem, film, song, or anything in between. Think about how the emotions they draw out change us. We are forced to confront, deconstruct, and process them. They help us see others, ourselves, and the world differently. They encourage us to develop nuance, remain open minded, and become more observant. All qualities that patients deserve from their physicians.
Many, if not most, medical schools have already taken steps to incorporate humanities into their busy learning schedules. While integration can require some trial and error, the effort of these institutions should be commended. As such, the onus of taking advantage of these opportunities lies with the learners. Amidst the rigor and demand of medical school, students often fail to prioritize humanities at all. Just because the arts demand energy from the part of our brain that isn’t dedicated to memorizing lysosomal storage diseases doesn’t make them any less valuable.
Humanities deserve our time, focus, and attention as an aspect of our journey towards becoming the doctors we all want to be. Embrace them! When offered as part of formal and informal educational opportunities, lean into what the humanities can teach us. One day we will need to draw on them when the burden of mastering the art of medicine falls to us. And, if we’re lucky, we may find a little humanity in the process of getting there.
Reference:
Zhang X, Pang HF, Duan Z. Educational efficacy of medical humanities in empathy of medical students and healthcare professionals: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Med Educ. 2023 Dec 6;23(1):925.
Brady Anderson is a medical student at the University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, class of 2025. He loves writing and enjoys the outlet it offers, both intellectually and emotionally. When not studying or trying put his kids to bed, he enjoys chipping away at one of the several books he's reading, exploring Arizona's deserts, and overanalyzing art and culture. He graduated from Brigham Young University in 2020 with a BS in Psychology. Feel free to reach him at bradyanderson@arizona.edu.