Training the clinical eye and mind: using the arts to develop medical students' observational and pattern recognition skills

Abstract

Introduction Observation, including identification of key pieces of data, pattern recognition, and interpretation of significance and meaning, is a key element in medical decision making. Clinical observation is taught primarily through preceptor modelling during the all‐important clinical years. No single method exists for communicating these skills, and medical educators have periodically experimented with using arts‐based training to hone observational acuity. The purpose of this qualitative study was to better understand the similarities and differences between arts‐based and clinical teaching approaches to convey observation and pattern recognition skills. Method A total of 38 Year 3 students participated in either small group training with clinical photographs and paper cases (group 1), or small group training using art plus dance (group 2), both consisting of 3 2‐hour sessions over a 6‐month period. Findings Students in both conditions found value in the training they received and, by both self‐ and instructor‐report, appeared to hone observation skills and improve pattern recognition. The clinically based condition appeared to have been particularly successful in conveying pattern recognition concepts to students, probably because patterns presented in this condition had specific correspondence with actual clinical situations, whereas patterns in art could not be generalised so easily to patients. In the arts‐based conditions, students also developed skills in emotional recognition, cultivation of empathy, identification of story and narrative, and awareness of multiple perspectives. Conclusion The interventions studied were naturally complementary and, taken together, can bring greater texture to the process of teaching clinical medicine by helping us see a more complete ‘picture’ of the patient.

Medicine and the Art of Seeing

“…When examining art that contained less familiar imagery and representations, such as surrealist and abstract pieces, medical students still experienced improvements in skills that would help them in clinical settings [6]. After undergoing a curriculum of three two-hour sessions that included abstract art, students reported that they were able to develop a systematic approach to the visual world and found that they were able to identify patterns more readily, a skill which would translate into improved ability to make connections between patient cases [6]. In addition to developing pattern recognition skills, studying non-representational art encourages creative, on-the-spot interpretation because of its dearth of familiar imagery.…”

Broadening Student Learning Experiences via a Novel Cross-Disciplinary Art and Anatomy Education Program - A Case Study

“…Newer approaches in clinical anatomy teaching involve using multi-media programs to digitally explore anatomical features ('An@tomedia', 2002) as well as life drawing and body painting anatomical features on living models (McMenamin, 2008). The value of incorporating art when learning clinical skills in medical education has been investigated in a number of studies (Elder, Tobias, Lucero-Criswell, & Goldenhar, 2006;Kirklin, Duncan, McBride, Hunt, & Griffin, 2007;McMenamin, 2008;Moore, Lowe, Lawrence, & Borchers, 2011;Naghshineh et al, 2008;Naug, Colson, & Donner, 2011;Schaff, Isken, & Tager, 2011;Shapiro, Rucker, & Beck, 2006). One study has examined the potential learning benefits for medical students involved in an interdisciplinary drawing module (Lyon, Letschka, Ainsworth, & Haq, 2013).…”

Decision Making in Acute Stroke Care

“…23 It is not surprising that a recent systematic review concluded that computerized clinical decision support systems improve clinician performance. 24 Previous studies [25][26][27] suggest that the use of a validated clinical risk score may improve clinician's performance and assist in providing more accurate prognostic information when counseling patients with stroke and their families. For example, The Clinician Judgment Versus Risk Score to Predict Stroke Outcomes (JURaSSiC) study assigned 111 clinicians with expertise in acute stroke care to predict the probability of outcomes of 5 ischemic stroke case scenarios.…”

“…These shortcuts are usually based on pattern recognition (eg, patients with low or high probability of achieving a good outcome), whereas intermediary cases need systematic generation and testing of hypotheses. 1,27,30,32,33 Cultural Organization: Social Influence in Decisions Making…”