INTERESTING
With permission, Benjamin Z Phillips
You may have heard the phrase “Medicine is an art.” At its earliest conception, the arts and humanities were integral to the practice of medicine. In Greek mythology, Apollo was the god of music and dance, healing and disease, poetry, truth and prophecy and more. The Hippocratic Oath is an ancient code of ethics recited by every new medical student. Within this oath is a reminder that “there is art in medicine as well as science”. As time passed, a divide was created between the arts/humanities and medicine. In 1910, a report authored by Abraham Flexner criticized the state of medical and higher education. This influential, and controversial report led to a medical school curriculum with a heavy emphasis on science.
As medicine evolved so did our healthcare systems and our approach to delivering healthcare. With these rapid changes came the realization that physicians needed to adapt. In the 1960s, the field of medical humanities emerged. Currently the arts and humanities are an integral part of medical education in most medical schools. A National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) report stated, “The arts teach creative means of expression, understanding of different perspectives, an awareness of knowledge and emotions throughout the human experience, and the shaping and sharing of perceptions through artistic creation and practices in the expressive world.” A multi-institutional study concluded that medical students’ exposure to the humanities correlates with positive personal qualities and reduced burnout. The positive impact of the arts can also be observed in the patient experience.
With permission, Benjamin Z Phillips
Healthcare facilities provide a canvas that can mold the patient experience. Multiple studies have shown that art helps reduce patient stress and improve their perception of the quality of care. It can also be a positive distraction and make the hospital or office experience less intimidating. According to the Center for Health Design, “the physical environment is not a mere backdrop for healthcare delivery, it is an integral part of the healthcare experience.” Healthcare aesthetics in the US is largely based on a study conducted by Roger Ulrich. The setting for the study was a suburban Pennsylvania Hospital between 1972 and 1981. His study concluded that natural works, like landscapes and vegetables worked the best to alleviate stress and improve recovery. These results were based on a small, homogenous population of patients and excluded factors related to diversity. Daniel Chonde, MD,PhD, the founder of The People’s heARTt notes, “What has come to pass is this corporate, Eurocentric idea of art that doesn’t necessarily evoke emotion or connection because the culture has been taken out.”
The Association of American Colleges endorses the implementation of the arts and humanities into medical education to combat the rapidly changing and complex heath care system. According to their 2020 report, “Now more than ever, physicians must learn to interweave their developing scientific knowledge with emotional intelligence, critical thinking skills, and an understanding of social context. The integration of the arts and humanities into medicine and medical education may be essential to educating a physician workforce that can effectively contribute to optimal health care outcomes for patients and communities.”
