Art and Creativity in Medical Education

 

Art plays an important role in human flourishing and is a valuable resource in medical education. 

We learn faster and retain information better in sensory rich environments, when we feel relaxed, are enjoying the experience and the knowledge feels important.  

The use of art in teaching can create more salient experiences promoting neuroplasticity and amplifying the social, emotional and cognitive elements of learning.  

We should think of art as an activity that enhances our wellbeing by changing our biology and emotional state. 

 

Art and Creativity in GP Education

GP School Art Club

GP School Art Club is an informal bimonthly evening session on Zoom for registrars, health care professionals and GP educators to discuss and explore many aspects of Primary Care using art as a catalyst for discussion. The programme and links are on the Yorkshire and Humber GP School Team Up or contact me to join.
Programme (coming soon)

RCGP SIG Creative Health

An RCGP SIG has been set up to support and inspire GPs who have a special interest in creativity, and who advocate for creative health within General Practice.
More information

GP Training Blended Learning

All the GP Training Blended Learning modules utilise art and creative activities to help trainees learn.
Link in development

South Yorkshire Primary Care Together

A monthly support session for Primary Care Clinicians in South Yorkshire using arts resources as a catalyst for discussion.​
Find out more

Art and Creativity in wider Medical Education

Enhance Yorkshire & Humber

Did you know Enhance has an ‘arts in health’ thread running through the programme. Participants learn how the arts can improve health outcomes, health professional wellbeing and relationships with patients and colleagues.
Find out more

Humanities in Medical Education

Humanities in Medical Education Facebook Group
Find out more

cRxeate

A creativity project for all doctors and medical students accessed via X
Go to X

Art and Creativity at Medical School

Two sessions using arts resources were created for students on the HYMS widening access participation initiative- Gateway Year.
In session one we used art resources (film, poetry, visual images, and music) to help the students explore and understand the patients’ perspective of illness.
These are some of the resources we used.
This is what the students said about the session:
Very insightful and allows you to think about medicine in a different way  
Informative, interesting 
Interesting and eye opening! 
Surprising and inspiring   
I found it insightful using art resources to learn more about illness and how it can affect patient/ people. It helps to gain a new perspective. 
Stress relief 
I thought it was a really creative way of showing illness  
Calm, relaxing, connected 

 
In session two we used poetry and visual images on postcards to stimulate a discussion about the impact of the words we use when talking with patients. Students were invited to choose a postcard image and create a 6-word poem inspired by the image. The poems were shared with the group.  
We used these poems in our discussion:
Too Heavy Julia Darling
The D Words Rachel McCoubrie
The Way I See It Rachel McCoubrie
Story Water Rumi
This is what the students said about the session:
Fun  
Enjoyable  
Interactive  
Insightful, perspective, interesting 
It helps you feel human. You realise that you’re treating people and you need to connect with them. 
Very enjoyable lesson. Helps to convey how we can use art to describe personal experiences of illness 
It was very knowledgeable, and helped me picture a story in my head and make me feel more empathetic and understanding  
It makes me feel hopeful and looking forward to listening to patient’s stories but also being part of their story. 
Using art enables you to think outside of the walls of clinical knowledge, to remember to see the whole person and to find different mediums which appeals more to the patient 
Very interesting & enjoyable. A lovely change of perspective from the clear cut approach of the more clinical, scientific lectures. Very helpful for future practice.  
I LOVED TODAYS LESSON. I was able to get a new perspective on uni, my future career as a doctor and even my personal life. I am so thankful for todays lesson and genuinely had a lot of fun in the process! 
I feel inspired by the relation of art to medicine. I learned that there are many other ways to communicate with in medicine than I knew. 
I really enjoyed. Particularly the poems etc. It offered a very insightful and different perspective on medicine 
Year 2 SSIP (Scholarship and Special Interest Programme 
This involved eight students working together in a combination of taught sessions and self directed learning time to explore the question ‘How is the role of the portrayed in art?’
There are examples of the arts resources the students chose to use in their research in 2024. 
The Doctor Luke Fildes (painting)
The Ward Round Simon Black (painting)
The Fortunate Women Polly Moorland (book)
This Going to Hurt Adam Kay (book and TV drama) 
Dailies of a Junior Doc (Sudanese Webcomic) 
The Healer Magritte (painting)
In addition to the mandatory presentations and essays two of the students responded to the resources by writing poems. 
Year 4 SSIP (Scholarship and Special Interest Programme) 
The year 4 SSIP  involves students undertaking independent research and guided discussion exploring the question ‘How does art help doctors understand the patient perspective of illness?’ 
Unfinished
In the silence of night, the doctor awakes, 
To heal the sick, whatever it takes. 
In a world where life and death collide, 
They stand as beacons, souls to guide. 
From births first cry to deaths last breaths, 
They carry out their duties without protest. 
Though life doesn’t always go as planned, 
With empathy, with diligence, they lend a hand. 
So do think carefully about that apple a day. 
It’s not always best to keep the doctor away. 
By a year 2 HYMS Student
Poetry and Medicine
Why study so hard for so little reward?
Your life spent on your laptop or searching round the wards
When the media say the pounds/hour you’re working towards
is better funded at the local coffee shop.
why study so hard to feel so ignored
by the government and the people, you want to restore.
‘what’s wrong with me doctor?’ they always ask.
But what’s wrong with the doctors…
…“Just put on a mask” they say
you get hardened by the job
and if you can’t do it then there is no more to know
maybe its wrong and it’s not for you, Go. Leave.
Why waste five, of the best years of your life
and take so much time
To study for an exam chat gpt could pass
And why make it rhyme.
Why study medicine, why want to heal.
Why write poetry, why want to feel.
They say Medicine heals the body.
And poetry heals the soul.
When I was young doctors saved my sisters life
Something completely out of my control
I want to do what they did.
I want to be like them.
I want to be reflective.
And I want to use a pen.
To write stuff down and for it to heal
me or my friend or a stranger
I want to be a doctor and to feel.
Listen to my patients and remain real.
Remain human.
By Alex Lambert (Year 2 HYMS Student)