The Projects Section is an area to view Current Projects and Legacy Projects by members of the UMass Chan Medical Humanities Lab. It is a forum for members of the UMass Chan Humanities in Medicine community to find collaborators and is also a resource for students to identify potential project advisors and collaborators for Capstone and other projects. For more information on a particular project, please email the project's contact(s).
Legacy Projects or projects that have been transferred between students in different graduating classes have been marked with a ☆
2023-2024
Music and Medicine
Description: The Music and Medicine curriculum contains a number of modules about specific topics in music and healing. Overall course goals: recognize how music can be used to promote health, healing, and well-being ; describe how music has been incorporated into the field of medical humanism; discuss how the study of music and cognition has contributed to improved understanding of neurology and brain science ; examine in depth how music can be used therapeutically in clinical settings; and, explain what doctors can learn from musicians and how music can enhance the education of physicians.
Contact: Michael Bolstad (michael.bolstad@umassmed.edu)
Available: Fall and Spring semesters
Art for the Physician
Description: This OEE will be a unique opportunity for undergraduate medical students to explore the integration of medicine and the visual arts. Art is an extremely useful tool for physicians. Physicians can use art to communicate complex procedures and medical concepts to patients, to provide therapy to patients, or to raise awareness about issues in healthcare. Physicians can also use art for self-reflection, well-being, and prevention of burnout. Students will learn about the history and importance of medical illustrators and art therapists. Student will also gain basic art skills in the context of medical illustration, graphic medicine, and art therapy. Students will be able to practice and use these skills to create a final project showcasing what they have learned during the OEE.
Contact: Sirena Khanna (sirena.khanna1@umassmed.edu)
Available: Fall semester
Medical Creative Writing
Description: This elective will allow you to explore different forms of writing -- essays, creative nonfiction, poetry and short fiction -- to sharpen your skills of observation, description, and analysis, and to enhance your ability to understand, from your own perspective and that of others, the experience of becoming a doctor.
Contact: David Hatem (David.Hatem@umassmemorial.org)
Available: Fall semester
Narratives & Medicine
Description: This course will explore the power of narratives—in written, oral, and visual forms—to shape the way we, as medical students, conceptualize and practice medicine. The care of the sick unfolds in stories and effective healthcare demands the ability to recognize, absorb, interpret, and engage with the stories of others. In each session, students will be asked to critically examine portions of short stories, poems, articles, research, and other narrative forms. As students read, write, and reflect together, we will use the skills of close reading and listening for different perspectives and challenge each other to practice medicine with the parallel skills of attentive listening and empathy. Our selection of stories will explore themes such as race, gender, cultural identity, and mental health.
Contact: Riya Mahesh (Riya.Mahesh@umassmed.edu)
Available: Spring semester
2022-2023
Art for Physicians
Description: This OEE will be a unique opportunity for undergraduate medical students to explore the integration of medicine and the visual arts. Art is an extremely useful tool for physicians. Physicians can use art to communicate complex procedures and medical concepts to patients, to provide therapy to patients, or to raise awareness about issues in healthcare. Physicians can also use art for self-reflection, well-being, and prevention of burnout. Students will learn about the history and importance of medical illustrators and art therapists. Student will also gain basic art skills in the context of medical illustration, graphic medicine, and art therapy. Students will be able to practice and use these skills to create a final project showcasing what they have learned during the OEE.
Contact: Stephanie Choi (stephanie.choi2@umassmed.edu)
Available: Fall semester
Narratives & Medicine
Description: This course will explore the power of narratives—in written, oral, and visual forms—to shape the way we, as medical students, conceptualize and practice medicine. The care of the sick unfolds in stories and effective healthcare demands the ability to recognize, absorb, interpret, and engage with the stories of others. In each session, students will be asked to critically examine portions of short stories, poems, articles, research, and other narrative forms. As students read, write, and reflect together, we will use the skills of close reading and listening for different perspectives and challenge each other to practice medicine with the parallel skills of attentive listening and empathy. Our selection of stories will explore themes such as race, gender, cultural identity, and mental health.
Contact: Michela Oster (michela.oster@umassmed.edu)
Available: Spring semester
2021-2022
Art for Physicians
Description: This OEE will be a unique opportunity for undergraduate medical students to explore the integration of medicine and the visual arts. Students will learn about the history and importance of medical illustrators and art therapists and gain basic art skills in the context of medical illustration, graphic medicine, and art therapy.
Contact: Erin Johnson (Erin.Johnson@umassmed.edu)
Available: Fall semester
Medical Creative Writing
The focus of this elective is to use reflective writing, including essays, creative nonfiction, poetry and short fiction, to sharpen your powers of observation, description and analysis. We have found the writing process to be a valuable method of reflection, enhancing participants' ability to understand - from their own perspective and that of others - the experience of becoming a doctor. Writing about encounters with patients, faculty, and other health care providers, and sharing the writing in a supportive group setting, facilitates mindfulness and deepens understanding of how these experiences influence one's personal and professional development.
Contact: Dr. Dave Hatem (David.Hatem@umassmed.edu)
Available: Fall semester
2022-2023
2021-2022
TBA
2020-2021
TBA
2019-2020
2018-2019
2017-2018
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