Humanism in Medicine
The Ohio State University College of Medicine values empathy, integrity, and compassion as academic strength. The well-being of faculty, staff, and learners translates to a higher level of care for patients. Humanism and the Arts in Medicine is a College of Medicine initiative that serves the entire Ohio State health science community by promoting a compassionate approach to all that we do: research, patient care, teaching, and learning.
By integrating arts and humanities throughout medical education, trainees and physicians can learn to be better observers and interpreters and build empathy, communication, teamwork skills, and more.
Learners in the Arts
Our medical students are more than just learners. With an eighty percent participation rate in this program, we know they are also dancers, singers, writers, musicians, painters, and lovers of the arts. Art activities provide stress reduction for hard-working learners, healing for the healers, and promote the best of care for our patients. Programs and groups are arts-based, leveraging the creativity and space for human expression that the arts provide. Learners are encouraged to build friendships and maintain balance in their lives by holding onto their hobbies or creative outlets. The Humanism and the Arts in Medicine Student Section supports this effort by being learner driven and building community around areas of learners' interests, whether they be arts, service, or project based. Students can take a break from learning to wander through the annual Health Sciences Art Show, attend a Professional School Orchestra concert (or rehearsal), or enjoy a copy of the Ether Arts magazine — all showcasing learner talents in the arts and providing an artistic outlet for those involved in the programs.
The Office of Student Life provides support to College of Medicine student organizations and facilitates programs and events that promote humanism and the arts in medicine. View our list of upcoming events and learn more about our programs.
Student Committees
Service Committees
- Bowen Circle
- Candy Apple Awards
- Cultural Cooking
- Diversions to Inspire Nontraditional & Older Students (DINOS)
- Educators With Heart: Executive Board
- Language and Culture Exchange (LACE)
- Last Lecture Series
- Life Events/Grief Support
- M1 Fall Retreat
- MedPaws
- Movies in Meiling
- Gateway to Columbus
- Random Acts of Kindness (RAK)
- Somali Health Initiative for Nutrition Education (SHINE)
Arts and Culture
In 2015, the Bowen Circle joined our Humanism in Medicine Family. This group focuses on celebrating the legacy of Dr. Clotilde Bowen and selecting the Bowen Award honoree. Dr. Clotilde Bowen was a strong and selfless leader, a woman truly ahead of her time: she was the first African American female to graduate from The Ohio State University College of Medicine in 1947, she became the first female physician in the United States Army in 1956 when she served as a pulmonary specialist at Valley Forge, PA, and she became the first female commander of a military hospital when she was assigned to Ft. Benjamin Harrison, IN, to name just a few of her outstanding accomplishments. This award has been designed to recognize a current female student at The Ohio State University College of Medicine who exemplifies many of the same characteristics as Dr. Clotilde Bowen: one who is a pioneer, who stays strong in the face of adversity, and who is a leader to the community around her.
Student Leaders
Bhageerathi Ganesan and Anusha Singh
Advisors
Dr. Linda Stone and Dr. Sheryl Pfeil
Candy Apple Committee is part of Humanism in Medicine. We are devoted to recognizing students elected by their peers who have demonstrated exemplary characteristics of humans in medicine. These are designated for students who have gone above and beyond for their peers. Past honorees include those who have spent significant time teaching others class material, sending out study guides to the entire class and individuals who have helped those going through significant life events. We provide thank-you notes to patient panelists and organize post-block treats.
Student Leader
Sabrina Catalano
Advisor
Mike Horgan
Page to the Bedside (P2B) is OSUCOM's literary elective course. Throughout the year, P2B offers monthly literature seminars led by a diverse group of faculty members, administrators, and students. Sessions are open to all current medical students, and we are currently alternating between in person and virtual sessions. Students who attend eight sessions and complete a capstone project will be eligible for a month-long elective credit or advanced competency in the fourth year. Our goal is widen our perspective on different populations/things going on in the medical community in order to make us more compassionate physicians.
Student Leader
Sydney Fobare
Advisors
Dr. Jim Phelan & Dr. Erin McConnell
The purpose of Jewish Medical Students Association (JMSA) is to facilitate an active and engaged Jewish community at the College of Medicine through educational, cultural, and religious activities. We aim to explore Judaism and how it relates to the study of medicine, provide a venue for students to learn about issues in Jewish healthcare, and make a forum available for all students and faculty to discuss Judaism, spirituality, and their intersectionality with healthcare at large.
Student Leader
Jessica Cohen
Advisor
Dr. Michael Blumenfeld
M1-M2 Mentorship is a subgroup of Humanism in Medicine that focuses on connecting incoming first year medical students with second year medical students, providing an invaluable relationship and bond between the two classes. Mentees are able to rely on mentors for advice in academics, extracurricular activities, and personal life if desired. This group matches students based on their surveyed personal preferences, including specialty interest, background, and interests both in and outside of medicine.
Student Leader
Michelle Huynh
Advisor
Mike Horgan
We are medical students who believe in the healing power of music. Our goals are focused on bringing live, calming music to nursing homes and hospice centers to bring moments of reprieve and comfort to patients.
Student Leader
Cara Noel
Advisor
Dr. Steven Ing
On-Call Creations is a medical student-run humanistic arts organization whose focal initiative is to inspire people to have fun, be creative, and explore new hobbies. Primarily, students have been interested in learning fiber arts such as knitting, crocheting, embroidery, and cross stitch. We also tackle creative endeavors like painting, clay sculpting, beading, gardening, paper crafts, and more. Please reach out if you are interested in participating or have exciting ideas for future projects!
Student Leader
Devin O’Piela
Advisor
Mike Horgan
This is a support group tailored to those who are already parents or are planning to become parents in their medical careers. The goals of this group are:
- To build a community of medical trainees that can support each other and provide advice about parenthood.
- Connect students to faculty and medical professionals that have families for advice and mentorship.
- Advocate for improved policies and transparency for medical trainees starting families
Student Leader
Charlene Kuk
Advisor
Dr. Jennifer McCallister
The Photography Group is a subgroup of Visual Arts that encourages passion in photography via themed challenges, photo field trips, Snapchat takeovers, and collaborations with other Humanism in Medicine groups.
Student Leader
Olivia Chan
Advisor
Mike Horgan
The Professional Student Orchestra invites players of all skill levels to participate in practices and performances throughout the year and collaborates with other Health Profession schools.
Student Leader
Matthew Lordo
Advisor
Dr. Sheryl Pfeil
We are a student-led organization under Humanism in Medicine. The SLMV team creates engaging music videos by rewriting and recording lyrics to popular songs and filming scenes around the medical school, hospitals, and Columbus to showcase The Ohio State University College of Medicine.
Student Leader
Anne Chen
Advisor
Mike Horgan
The Servant Leadership Group is a student organization focused on connecting students who demonstrate a strong commitment to serving others through their actions and words. Servant leadership is a concept defined as "a non-traditional leadership philosophy, embedded in a set of behaviors and practices that place the primary emphasis on the well-being of those being served." Members of the group who are nominated by current servant leaders come together on a quarterly basis to grow in fellowship and learn from others with a like-minded attitude.
Student Leader
Bailey Conrad
Advisor
Dr. Sheryl Pfeil
Threshold Choir is a group that sings to people in hospice care, to provide peace and comfort to those who are actively dying. We sing very softly at bedside in small groups, and usually sing short, lullaby-like songs with multiple harmonies that are meant to soothe. The goal of the singing is to create a comforting environment for a person at the end of their life, as well as for the loved ones at their bedside. Anyone is welcome to join- medical student or not, regardless of singing experience!
Student Leader
Mackenzie Coyne
Advisor
Mike Horgan
The UltraSound a Cappella exists to provide professional students a fun and relaxed environment to sing together and the opportunities to perform for an audience. We wish for professional students to expand upon their natural talents as well as develop new skills within the musical arts. For medical students in particular, we believe, as part of Humanism in Medicine, that students are more than their academic abilities, and we aim to help nurture other interests.
Student Leader
Sabrina Mackey-Alfonso
Advisor
Mike Horgan
Ether Arts, the literary and visual arts magazine of the Ohio State College of Medicine, is officially calling for submissions! This is a magazine written and published by medical students and other health care professionals at Ohio State. It is meant to showcase who we are beyond medicine, so we accept unpublished work from all disciplines including fiction, nonfiction, poetry, drawings, photography, and painting. Also, we accept work both with and without medical themes.
Student Leader
Michelle Huynh
Advisor
Dr. Anna Soter