The Art of Observation: Impact of a Family Medicine and Art MuseumPartnership on Student Education

摘要

Background and Objectives: Compared to verbal communication, teaching the skill of observationis often shortchanged in medical education. Through a family medicine-art museum collaboration,we developed an elective course for second-year medical students titled the "Art of Observation"(AOO). To evaluate the course's effect on clinical skills, we performed a qualitative evaluation offormer students during their clinical rotations. Methods: In the spring of 2005, all students who hadcompleted the AOO course in 2003 or 2004 were invited to take part in an online evaluation consistingof eight journaling survey questions. Students were instructed to answer the survey questions withspecific examples. Question areas included the most memorable experience, the course's influenceon the doctor-patient relationship, usefulness during clinical years of medical school, and skillsunique to AOO. The anonymous data were analyzed qualitatively, coding the responses to categoriesderived from the data, leading to the formation of themes. Results: Of the 19 students eligible, 17participated. We found three important themes: (1) the AOO positively influenced clinical skills, (2)both art museum exercises and a clinical preceptorship were necessary to achieve those skills, and(3) the AOO led to a sense of personal development as a physician. In addition, students told us thatthe training in observation and description skills they learned were unique to the AOO. Conclusions:This collaboration between a department of family medicine and an art museum produced a coursethat facilitated observational skills used in successful doctor-patient relationships.