Arts in medical education

Our research concentrates on two key topics in medical humanities: arts and narrative for deepening compassion in medical education, and using abstract paintings to improve reflective competence through faculty development workshops. The authors designed and delivered workshops to enhance physicians’ competencies in each of these areas. The first workshop used figurative paintings and narrative both to enhance understanding of the sufferer as well as to deepen compassion among medical students and practicing physicians. The second used abstract paintings to develop reflective competence among medical teachers. Participants in the first workshop reported a change in their attitudes towards suffering and compassion for the sufferer. Assessment of the second workshop showed that the combined use of arts and narratives was perceived as contributing to the reflective exercise.