A fascinating report was posted earlier today about the Stanford School of Medicine's Arts, Humanities & Medicine Program. The article, written by Corrie Goldman, provides a closer look into the initiative and how it allows students at the medical school to explore their creativity and artistic passions through the study of art, music and literature. Goldman writes:
The aim, as described on the program website is to "enhance our understanding of the contextual meanings of illness, health care, and the human condition.
The piece includes a very nice profile of Meghan Galligan, a first year Stanford medical student who uses the program to incorporate her musical passions into her work with patients:
Through the Biomedical Ethics and Medical Humanities Scholarly Concentration (BEMH), Galligan, a classically trained concert pianist and vocalist, has read King Lear and listened to Gustav Mahler compositions.
She also has read essays written by cancer survivors and heard a presentation by a man who made a documentary film about living with Huntington's Disease in "The Human Condition," a BEMH course taught by Dr. Larry Zaroff.
Galligan said the reflective nature of class discussions encouraged her to consider existential questions that her patients might face, such as, "How do I live my life and make a difference after I've been diagnosed with a serious illness?"
Stanford medical students also have the opportunity to receive a Medical Scholars Research Grant, encouraging them to broaden their perspectives toward medicine, arts, humanities and ethics.
Previously: A plan to expand educational offerings to "anyone, anywhere" and Stanford dean discusses changing expectations for medical students
