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Learning to look: developing clinical observational skills at an art museum
Author(s) -
Bardes Charles L,
Gillers Debra,
Herman Amy E
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
medical education
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.776
H-Index - 138
eISSN - 1365-2923
pISSN - 0308-0110
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2923.2001.01088.x
Subject(s) - observational study , observational learning , medical education , psychology , medicine , mathematics education , experiential learning , pathology
Context Clinical diagnosis involves the observation, description, and interpretation of visual information. These skills are also the special province of the visual arts. We describe an educational collaboration between a medical school and an art museum, designed for the purpose of developing student skills in observation, description, and interpretation. Objectives In the programme, medical students first examine painted portraits, under the tutelage of art educators and medical school faculty. Then, the students examine photographs of patients’ faces and apply the same skills. Conclusion This programme, well‐received by students and faculty, appeared to help the students not only in improving their empirical skills in observation, but also in developing increased awareness of emotional and character expression in the human face.