September 22, 2010
Editors: A high res photo of the residents taking the art appreciation course can be downloaded at (cutline at end): http://dailynews.mcmaster.ca/images/artappreciation.jpg
Using fine art appreciation to help family doctors practice better medicine
A new program for Family Medicine residents at McMaster University is taking them out of the clinic and into the art gallery, with an aim to make them better family physicians.
It is all part of an innovative new visual literacy course, being offered through the McMaster Museum of
Art in conjunction with the Department of Family Medicine.
“Research has shown that doctors can improve their observation and diagnostic skills by studying
works of art,” says Carol Podedworny, director of the McMaster Museum of Art. “When students – or
in this case Family Medicine residents – learn to appreciate fine art on a deeper level, our hope is
they will translate those skills into medical practice and become better communicators, particularly
with their own patients.”
Eight second-year Family Medicine residents will participate in the bi-weekly sessions, where they will
examine original works of art from the Museum’s vast collections and participate in group discussions
to explore meaning within the imagery.
“As a family physician, it can be easy to make assumptions about a patient but we’re trying to train our
residents to look deeper, to really understand the patient’s experience of illness and to improve their
understanding of the complex nature of human beings,” says Dr. Joyce Zazulak, an associate
professor in the Department of Family Medicine and co-leader of the program. “One of the goals of
this program is to promote self-awareness, which the residents will take into their professional lives as
physicians. This will truly give new meaning to the term ‘I’m going to see my patient now”.
A paper published by the Harvard Medical School in 2008 found that medical students who were
assigned to take an art appreciation course at the university museum –who examined various works
of art to hone their observational, analytical and communication skills—were 38 per cent more
successful in making accurate medical diagnoses than those who didn’t take the course.
“Through a series of interactive workshops, exercises and exposure to a variety of works of art
throughout history, the residents will develop the skill of seeing beyond, learning to recognize symbols,
messages, images, and the story behind the work. These skills provide us with a greater
understanding of perception, both in art and in life itself,” says Karen Scott Booth, an art educator who
will be co-leading the sessions.
The program is considered an important component for family medicine residents at the University
and will run through December of this year.
“Innovative programs such as these are a priority for the Department of Family Medicine,” says David
Price, chair of the Department of Family Medicine. “By expanding our curriculum to include
non-traditional training methods, we are able to graduate physicians who are not only excellent
clinicians, but strong communicators with understanding and compassion for their patients.”
Cutline for photo (from left to right): Art educator Karen Scott Booth, family medicine
residents Erin Frotten and Puneet Seth
McMaster University, one of four Canadian universities listed among the Top 100 universities in the world, is renowned for its innovation in both learning and discovery. It has a student population of 23,000, and more than 140,000 alumni in 128 countries.
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For more information, please contact:
Michelle Donovan
Public Relations Manager, Broadcast Media
McMaster University
905-525-9140, ext. 22869
donovam@mcmaster.ca
Jane Christmas
Manager, Public & Media Relations
McMaster University
905-525-9140 ext. 27988
chrisja@mcmaster.ca
Veronica McGuire
Coordinator, Community & Media Relations, Faculty of Health Sciences
McMaster University
905-525-9140, ext. 22169
vmcguir@mcmaster.ca