A guiding framework to maximise the power of the arts in medical education: a systematic review and metasynthesis

Abstract

The arts have unique qualities that can help create novel ways to engage learners. These novel ways of engagement can foster learners' ability to discover and create new meanings about a variety of topics, which in turn can lead to better medical practice. At each of these steps, specific actions by the teacher can enhance the potential for learners to move to the next step. The process can be enhanced when learners participate in the context of a group, and the group itself can undergo transformative change. Future work should focus on using this model to guide process design and outcome measurement in arts-based education.

Using art to improve visual diagnosis: a review

“…Lastly, we recently came across a 2016 systematic literature review of arts‐based medical education courses that summarises effective teaching strategies that resonate with our own experiences at our institution . The authors noted, in particular, that group engagement and processing (e.g.…”

“…The authors noted, in particular, that group engagement and processing (e.g. reflection or interpretation of an artwork in a group) appeared to be important to foster learning, and should be used as much as possible alongside the three common educational strategies identified in their review (listed and described below) for arts‐based courses:…”

“…4,18 … emerging evidence suggests that observation skills can and should be learned in formal settings … Lastly, we recently came across a 2016 systematic literature review of arts-based medical education courses that summarises effective teaching strategies that resonate with our own experiences at our institution. 19 The authors noted, in particular, that group engagement and processing (e.g. reflection or interpretation of an artwork in a group) appeared to be important to foster learning, and should be used as much as possible alongside the three common educational strategies identified in their review (listed and described below) for arts-based courses: 19 1. engage learners by creating a safe learning environment (e.g.…”

Preaching to the choir? Sociodemographic differences in medical students’ evaluation of an undergraduate diversity training module

“…For several decades, art forms such as film and theater have been used as a tool to teach social, political and emotional issues (i.e., professional development) in medicine in different professional fields [16][17][18], for instance in medical ethics education [19]. Recently, arts-based interventions are increasingly used to teach medical and other health sciences students about diversity issues in medicine [20; 21].…”

Mandala making to foster understanding of theoretical concepts in nursing education: Stress and coping

“…[4][5][6][7] These creative teachinglearning approaches have been used across health care disciplines to enhance learner engagement and self-awareness as well as to facilitate an understanding of theoretical and substantive content. [5][6][7][8] The creative use of mandala making is an art form that has been used in nursing to foster selfawareness and facilitate student learning. [7,9,10] Mandalas are circular shapes or concentric designs [11,12] that can be traced back to Buddhist and Indian tradition.…”