Education Research: The MANET Project: Museum Art in Neurology Education Training.

Abstract

Background and objectives: Multiple studies have shown that visual arts training has improved observational and communication skills and empathy among medical students and resident physicians. The benefits of such training for neurology residents remain scarce. This project aims to introduce neurology residents to the world of visual arts, improve their observational skills, foster their empathic skills, and provide them with a unique space for self-expression.

Methods: Neurology residents at an urban tertiary academic medical center in the northeastern United States received multiple custom-designed art observation training sessions at the Fogg Museum. Sessions were led by professional art educators and involved visiting multiple galleries in-person. Residents completed preintervention and postintervention tests to assess for change in their observational skills. The test was composed of artwork, MRIs, and videos with neurologic findings, which were all graded using a priori rubrics. The primary outcome was the difference between preintervention and postintervention total test scores. Secondary outcomes included the differences between preintervention and postintervention scores for art imagery and clinical imagery. Two-tailed paired Student t test was used.

Results: Seventeen neurology residents attended the museum art sessions throughout the academic year and 12 (71%) residents completed both the preintervention and postintervention tests. Observational skills, as calculated by the total score, improved significantly between the preintervention and postintervention tests (mean score 22.75 vs 33.5, respectively, p = 0.00005). Most residents noted a subjective improvement in their communication and observational skills and an increase in their empathy skills. All residents noted feeling more comfortable with the notion of ambiguity in a clinical setting.

Discussion: Residents' observational skills improved significantly throughout the academic year. This study emphasizes the importance of visual arts in neurology training. Art can further develop residents' observational skills, foster their empathy and humanity, and provide them with a safe space for self-reflection and personal growth.