Impact of art and reflective practice on medical education in the emergency department

Background/Introduction:
There is heightened intrigue surrounding the application of arts-based pedagogy in medical education (ME). Art encompasses multiple forms of expression and is used to convey specific meaning and emotion, whilst provoking critical reflection.
Aim/Purpose:
Our aim was to explore the effectiveness of art and reflective practice in ME, in the context of the Emergency Department [ED].
Methods/Intervention/Activity:
Longitudinal methodological study design. Prior to their first, and after the final clinical practicum, medical students watched a 3-minute film: ‘The Art of the ED’. Written reflections focused on changing perceptions towards the film during their ME programme. Data were thematically analysed.
Results/Outcome:
Twenty-five written reflections encompassed five themes; ‘professional growth’ exploring personal and professional development across the medical programme; seeing ‘patients are people’; and the purpose, structure and function of an ED exposed in ‘the reality of ED’. Results highlight that arts-based pedagogy can facilitate meaningful and critical reflection in medical students and fosters professionalism. Reflecting on the film broadened their perspective into a realm of new possibilities, challenging them to identify implicit bias around ED, and promote professional identity formation.
Conclusion/Recommendations:
The combination of art and reflection in ME enhances reflective learning and can lead to transformative change, including the development of core doctoring values of service, empathy and respect for patients. There are clear benefits to ME incorporating more arts-based pedagogy that promote reflective exploration and interpretation of the psychosocial context of health and illness, delivery of more holistic models of care and their role as doctors.