Medical students learn ‘art’ of observation

The Death of Chatterton, by Henry Wallis (1856)

At the Yale School of Medicine, a spring tradition — a class that uses paintings to teach prospective doctors the art of observation — is winding down for the year. In its 11th year, “The Observational Skills Workshop,” a collaborative effort between the medical school and the Yale British Art Gallery, makes use of 19th-century Victorian paintings housed at the British Art Center to develop medical students’ eye for detail.

Medical students learn ‘art’ of observation Florence Dethy Yale Daily News 4/22/09

“The overall aim of the Yale Internal Medicine Residency Writers’ Workshop is to introduce a way for residency programs to help trainees address conflicting emotions about their professional roles and to cultivate a curiosity about their patients’ lives beyond their diseases.”

Creative Writing Increases Physician Observation Skills And Connection To Patients Yale Press Release 10/10/06

See examples of images used for visual training and more here.

-Chris