Students Practice Self Care Through Art, Writing
The Department of Bioethics and Medical Humanism at the College of Medicine – Phoenix prepares students not only to provide respectful, humane patient care by addressing current ethical problems in health care, but also to empathize and communicate compassionately while caring for themselves. Students learn self-care through classes in narrative writing and art.
Creating Zentangles gave future physician Merrion Dawson an opportunity to take a break from the demands of medical school and find joy in art.
“Medical students are taught to recognize patterns using diagnostic algorithms, to think very critically, with an eye toward details,” said Dr. Cynthia Standley, who directs the department’s Art in Medicine program. “Art in Medicine expands on this and provides them with opportunities to think more openly. Instead of listening with an ear toward a preconceived conclusion, we encourage listening for understanding, looking for the details that should capture their attention. This way, we are promoting divergent, out-of-the-box thinking and equipping our students to make meaningful connections between disparate fragments. With innovative practices, we can improve the health of the patients and ultimately, promote more humanistic care.”
Third-year medical student Merrion Dawson has attended several Art in Medicine events.
“My favorite one was Inktober, where we did one Zentangle a day for the entire month,” Dawson said of the meditative pattern drawing technique. “Before this project I would only do art during school breaks. I felt like I couldn't draw or paint because the projects I liked doing took hours and lots of concentration, and I wasn't in a mental space to be able to do those things. However, with Zentangle, I was able to enjoy art during the school year again, which brought me a lot of joy.”
Currently, students can submit their thoughts on COVID-19 on a blog on the department’s website.
“It's an opportunity for them to just become vulnerable,” said Dr. David Beyda said, adding that the scope of a pandemic amplifies the need to focus on wellness issues for medical professionals. “We can work and do our best to save a patient, but the reality is there are times when we can't. And so you carry the dreams and you carry the pain, which is why there are times when health care professionals need support services.”