AAMC Art of Diagnosis 2022
SIDM welcomed medical students from Temple University's Lewis Katz School of Medicine, University of Toledo School of Medicine, and staff from Florida International University- Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine to give a brief presentation during the morning conference sessions at on October 17 and October 18 on their completed "Art of Diagnosis" projects and their takeaways from being a part of such a meaningful project supporting medical students across the country. The students, all part of AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges) Art in Diagnosis, were given full conference registration and the chance to network with professional mentors and encouraged to attend other conference sessions to give the students an opportunity to network with other healthcare professionals.
University of Toledo College of Medicine
“The Future of Medicine: Creative Insights on the Art of Diagnosis” is a continuation of a series of pieces put together by University of Toledo medical student Andrew Boring. Through this series he hopes to convey the fascination he experiences learning about anatomy and physiology through an artistic lens.”
Andrew Boring
Andrew Boring is a second year medical student at the University of Toledo. Academically he enjoys learning about all the different medical specialties, and is part of a research lab. Outside of school he is interested in creating art and playing music.
Alexander (A.J.) Arch
Alexander (A.J.) Arch is a second-year medical student at the University of Toledo College of Medicine. He enjoys extracurricular time involved in research in the department of ophthalmology at The Ohio State University, where he researches genetic associations with glaucoma. Outside of school, he likes spending his time making music.
Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine
Students from the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine (HWCOM) presented “Developing the Diagnostic Eye,” which included three components: a tour at the Patricia and Phillip Frost Art Museum; the creation of a collaborative mural; and a launch event for Eloquor, HWCOM’s student-run medical arts journal. The Frost Art Museum, located steps from HWCOM, has staff trained in visual thinking strategies, a technique shown to improve medical observational skills, which are pivotal to making accurate diagnoses. Students contributed to a collaborative mural using watercolors and other materials. The launch event for the annual issue of Eloquor included musical and spoken word performances by medical students and featured a display of eight images (painting, photographs, graphics) focused on Developing the Diagnostic Eye. Three artistic pieces received awards selected by a juried panel.
Brittany Cooke
Brittany Cooke is a Program Manager in the Student Life and Development unit at Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine in Miami, FL. Cooke oversees medical student organizations and is coordinating advisor to 52 student organizations, including Medical Humanities Club. Her experience as a Peace Corps volunteer and worldwide traveler is invaluable in assisting and serving as a resource for medical students interested in participating in international programs. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies from University of Central Florida and Master of Science in International and Intercultural Education from Florida International University. She enjoys traveling, visiting art museums, and reading.
Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University
Four students from Temple University’s School of Medicine presented their “Neighbors of North Philadelphia” project where students interacted with residents of their hospital neighborhood to foster relationships as active members of the community rather than remaining isolated medical school students. They met with neighbors who were also potential patients and family members. The students learned valuable lessons relevant to clinical settings. Key areas of growth and learning included building communication skills, earning trust quickly, stepping out of their comfort zones, and practicing being uncomfortable. Overall, the elective helped them relate to patients better during clinical rotations and strengthened their interpersonal and interviewing skills. Those new skills in gathering patient histories can lead to improved diagnosis!
Zachary Bides
Zachary Bides is a second-year medical student at Temple University's Lewis Katz School of Medicine. He was born and raised to a Filipino-American family in Northern California and pursued his bachelor's degree at UC Davis. He spent several years after college living in the San Francisco Bay Area to direct a community health center, work at a brain injury and stroke rehabilitation center, and deepen his love for photography and visual arts. Zac is an avid street & portrait photographer, fashion enthusiast and loves to explore restaurants with his wife in his free time.
Halle Nagorsky
Halle Nagorsky is a third-year medical student at Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. After graduating Union College with a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience and a minor in Studio Art, she worked as a medical assistant at a Dermatology practice before stating medical school. Currently halfway through her clinical rotations, she is considering specializing in Ob/Gyn and has specific interests in identifying barriers to accessing care, addressing health disparities and social determinants of health, trauma informed care and providing care for patients in the LGBTQ community. Halle is also passionate about connecting with members of the community served by Temple Hospital to improve care and diagnosis. The Neighbors of North Philly elective at LKSOM, which combined photography, a long-time interest of hers, and conversation/storytelling is one way she has been able to do this. In the future, she hopes to continue incorporating art into her education with a similar project exploring the healthcare experiences of women in the area, particularly as they relate to gynecologic and obstetrics care.
Edgar Tello-Ruiz
Edgar is a second-year medical student at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University. He was born in Ecuador and lived there until the age of ten, before moving to Union City, NJ where the majority of the population is Latino/a/x, Hispanic, or of Spanish speaking origin (LHS+). Given his background, Edgar’s passion lies on supporting the community near Temple University, as well as LHS+ students in the medical field. To help achieve this mission, he serves as a board member for the Latino Medical Student Association locally and at a regional level, volunteers as a Spanish speaking interpreter at a local community clinic, and mentors students on their path towards medical school. During his free time Edgar enjoys spending time with family and picking up his guitar to jam with friends.
Noah Thornton
Noah Thornton is a second-year medical student at the Temple Lewis Katz School of Medicine in the dual degree M.D. and M.A. in Urban Bioethics program. Noah is from Hattiesburg, Mississippi and is an alumnus of the University of Mississippi ('21, B.S.). His medical interests include Otolaryngology, Narrative Medicine, Urban Bioethics, and Translational Research.