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SAN ANTONIO
MEDICINE

Artistic Expression

in Medicine

By Kristy Y. Kosub, MD, Professor, Department of Medicine, UT Health San Antonio

Medical training and the practice of
medicine are immensely rewarding, but
also rigorous and at times exhausting. Pub-
lic health crises such as the pandemic, cli-
nician burnout, persistent social and racial
injustices and health inequities also chal-
lenge efforts to provide whole person care
and create a healthier community. Many
medical students and physicians are in-
spired by art as a companion to the study
of medicine and a resource for self-expres-
sion and finding meaning in their work.
The American Association of Medical
Colleges (AAMC) has a comprehensive
monograph on The Fundamental Role of
Arts and Humanities in Medical Educa-
tion (https://www.aamc.org/what-we-
do/mission-areas/medical-education/frah
me) that provides an in-depth overview of
the importance of the health humanities
and art in clinician well-being and under-
standing of the human condition. In par-
ticular, art has been found to improve
visual observation skills, communication
skills, empathy, reflective skills and toler-
ance for ambiguity. A core mission of the
Center for Medical Humanities & Ethics
(CMHE) at UT Health San Antonio is to
“nuture empathy and humanitarian values
to prepare tomorrow’s healers to act with
compassion and justice.” Art and literature
Rivers and Roots, pen and watercolor
have this power. The annual CMHE pub-
by Maggie Carroll, Class of 2021, Long School of Medicine, UT Health San Antonio
lication of a literary and visual arts journal,
Connective Tissue, allows contributing Creating art is the way I integrate myself into medicine. By engaging with anatomy on an
artists and readers of the journal a shared artistic level, I find myself better able to appreciate the idiosyncrasies of the human body
human experience through art and creative as well as deepen my understanding of its complexities. Art feeds the humanistic, creative
writing. Here are the artistic works of a aspect of my personality and thereby allows me to connect more deeply with my patients
few of our students. and coworkers. In a way, it’s the foundation of the work I do on a daily basis.

36 SAN ANTONIO MEDICINE • June 2021