Blue Book Electives:
The Art of Observation
Course Description:
Observation, description and interpretation are essential skills in clinical diagnosis. These talents are also requisite in the visual arts.
Thus, if medical students can improve their skills of observation in a safe environment by first looking at selected portrait art under the direction of experienced docents, this will translate to enhanced skills when observing medical photographs and ultimately when seeing a patient.
In a novel collaboration between the Houston Museum of Fine Arts and the Medical School students spend three evenings at the Museum enhancing their observation skills.
This in turn increases their awareness of emotional and character expression in patients.
An ongoing study of the effectiveness of this class is being conducted. For further information or to participate go to the following link: http://www.uth.tmc.edu/oto/ArtInstruction.htm
