About Medicine and the Arts

Mission: Creating a more humanistic environment in which to care for our patients, educate our students and residents, and pursue research.

The arts aid our sense of humanity.  Research proves that the arts integrate mind, body and spirit, increases understanding of difficult abstractions, and elevates higher order thinking skills. Einstein studied piano and the violin because it helped him think.

They are medical students, but with an eighty percent participation rate in this award-winning program, we also know they are dancers, singers, writers, musicians, and lovers of the arts. Our testimonials prove this: Medicine and the Arts activities provide stress reduction for hard working students, healing for the healers, and the best of care for our patients.

This from Dr. Shauna Collins: “Dance has been a passion of mine since I was 2, so when I came to medical school at OSU and learned there was a program devoted to connecting future physicians to the arts, I was both excited and confused. What did dance have to do with medicine? Then the connection became clear– engaging in the arts helps physicians feel whole so they are best able to support and care for their patients.”

Sample programs from Medicine and the Arts:

  • A 40 piece orchestra of students from all seven of the Health Sciences at OSU
  • Art of Analysis Program at the Columbus Museum of Art
    • A staff-led experience for health science students designed to enhance the art of observation. This nationally recognized program is a collaboration between the Columbus Museum of Art and the College of Medicine. It serves inter professional students, residents, and faculty who wish to participate in an art experience that enhances their observational skills and allows personal and professional growth through the arts.
  • The Annual Health Sciences Art Show fills the first week of March with the visual arts created by students, residents, faculty and staff from all of the seven health science colleges.
  • Workshops – We bring in local artists to help students develop their own arts practice they can take with them through med school and into their careers. Painting, drawing, ceramics, culinary arts, and beyond!
  • Artists Among Us – We highlight faculty, staff, and students from around the medical center with a flourishing arts practice to inspire others and lead by example.
  • Candy Apple Committee spreads joy and recognizes students for demonstrating humanistic values during medical school.
  • Opera Columbus, Ballet Met, Thurber Theatre Troupe, and many more groups make house calls to the Medical School for concerts
  • Love a capella? You should hear UltraSound. Veterinarian students have their own singing group, The Hoof Beats
  • Writers unite with their literary magazine called The Ether Arts

Teacher and Actor Stella Adler said, “Life beats you down, and crushes your soul, but art reminds us that we have one.”  Soulful medical practice is just what the doctor ordered.