Poetry in Medicine

JAAPA makes a case that poetry should be studied in medical school. Now what rhymes again with myocardial infarction?

From the piece...

Dr. Chen describes a poetry contest organized last spring by Dr. John Martin, a professor of cardiovascular medicine at University College London and a published poet himself. Students from Yale University School of Medicine and University College London Medical School were invited to submit original works of poetry for the contest. First prize (provided by an anonymous donor) was $1,500. You can read the top three selections here.

Dr. Chen quotes Dr. Thomas Duffy, director of the program for Humanities in Medicine at Yale Medical School, as an advocate for poetry in the medical school curriculum: “Poetry opens our minds to asking patients the right questions, while helping us address the emotional demands of doctoring, especially in the formative years.”