In 1869, Armond Trousseau stated that “the worst man of science is he who is never an artist, and the worst artist is he who is never a man of science”¹.

Medicine has always been a study of science and a practice of art, that is, it is a skill acquired through experience¹. As Dr. Goldman from Mount Sinai Hospital (Toronto) has said, “the whole process of art appreciation is getting to notice things that you otherwise wouldn’t”².  Art itself is based on how we see the world around us and, thus, includes the essential component of observation. Clinical observation is an earned skill that requires the ability to proficiently integrate a large amount of visual information. This is also known as “visual literacy”, where one is able to produce meaning based on images³. 

Before modern technology advanced medicine, most medical diagnoses were made through visual literacy². However, with the amount of technology and knowledge we have accumulated over the past few hundred years, it is easy to start viewing the human body as a machine, allowing the humanistic perspective of medicine to take a back seat^{2, 3}. Consequently, many physicians are criticized for their insensitive nature when it comes to acknowledging emotional distress, and allowing the scientific method to blunt their humanity and need for empathy.  Teaching medical students to explore their talents and changing their perspectives through studying the arts concurrently with the science of medicine would truly emphasize the humanistic qualities required to be a great physician¹.

Art can teach insight into common emotional patterns and individual differences⁴. Emotional aspects of patient interactions are taught briefly and as a fleeting thought. The ability to be visually literate through the understanding of facial expressions, body language, and contextual features like a person’s clothing and aesthetic can truly paint a picture of who they are without them having to tell you. This is even more useful when a patient is unable to communicate or withholds information³. As Gardner stated: “Art rediscovers, generation by generation, what is necessary to humanness”⁴. 

By incorporating the creation and analysis of different pieces of artwork, minute details showing signs of significant observation can be found, which is a skill that can be transferred into the art of medicine. Art can allow one to reflect and capture patterns in the real world². In fact, a work of art can give insight into emotional patterns that might not be reproducible through purely physical mechanisms⁴. The Director of the Physical Diagnosis Course at Jefferson Medical College, Dr. Mangione, has stated that studying art may actually produce better doctors. Those that have enhanced their skills in the visual arts seem to be more observant towards details⁵. In 2014, the Bond University School of Medicine in Queensland, Australia added in compulsory visual arts assignments into the medical curriculum. This has allowed students to explore their creativity without the requirement of technical skill and has shown to improve reflective thinking while adding a “breath of fresh air” to the very technical study of medicine³.  

Art and literature have their place in the medical curriculum to help doctors understand experiences and values. They are independent of each other and inseparable¹.

References

1. Panda, S. C. (2006). Medicine: Science or Art? 4(1): 127-138. doi: 10.4103/0973-1229.27610
2. Ge, S. M. (2013). Observation: The Importance of Art in Medicine. McGill University: Osler Library and Osler Library Board of Curators Essay Contest.
3. Bramstedt, K. A. (2016). The Use of Visual Arts as a Window to Diagnosing Medical Pathologies. AMA Journal of Medical Ethics: Art of Medicine.
4. Scott, P. A. (2000). The relationship between the arts and medicine. 26: 3-8. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/mh.26.1.3
5. Glatter, R. (2013). Can Studying Art Help Medical Students Become Better Doctors? Forbes.