Channeling Creativity: Medical Humanities in Medical School and Residency at UMass Chan

Anindita Deb, MD Hugh Silk, MD, MPH

wherever the art of medicine is loved, there is also a love of humanity. — hippocrates

Medical humanities are a powerful yet subtle tool for teaching many important aspects of medicine. The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) reports that medical humanities foster teamwork, collaboration, personal insight, flexibility, understanding of other cultures, social advocacy, and support learner wellness and resilience (1). In addition, trainees and physicians can learn to be better observers and interpreters, deal with ambiguity, and build empathy and communication skills. Medicine is ultimately about people – caring for them, interacting with them, finding cre- ative ways to motivate them, and understanding what they are enduring. Furthermore, healthcare is about caring for ourselves and other colleagues. We are humans dealing with humanity every day.

Eighty percent of medical schools in the United States have at least one offering in the medical humanities not including ethics. The top-ranked schools in the country offer multiple (2). There are various types of media being used, including art observation, creating art, music making and listening, writing prose and poetry, close reading of essays and other writings, history, photography, theater, use of podcasts and TED Talks, and many more.

At UMass Chan Medical School there have been significant efforts made to increase medical humanities offerings throughout undergraduate and graduate medical education programs. In the Family Medicine Residency, prior initiatives have included a medical humanities session during intern orientation, a bi-annual humanities retreat, and sessions offered at the Worcester Art Museum to learn to use art to improve teamwork, deal with uncertainty, and understand wellness.