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Training Doctors to Draw: Increasing Patient Communication Through Illustration
Ryan Syrek, MA | July 3, 2018
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Illustration by Jena Lee; image courtesy of Francois Luks
Training Doctors to Draw: Increasing Patient Communication Through Illustration
Ryan Syrek, MA | July 3, 2018 | Contributor Information
In 2017, Dr Francois Luks began leading an undergraduate course at Brown University called "Physician as Illustrator." As he told Medscape, "There is no question that illustrations are easier for patients to understand than are long explanations using multisyllabic words." He believes that encouraging doctors to practice and develop their drawing abilities helps them to become better communicators. "It is also incredibly helpful when there is a language barrier," Luks explained. "Also, patients can hold on to a drawing as a reminder."
Luks hopes that practicing their skills while in medical school will turn students into physicians confident in their abilities to communicate through art. "Everybody draws, and certainly all doctors draw," he noted. "What we try to teach them is to draw better, to force themselves to improve steadily." Even if some doctors never feel perfectly comfortable with their artistic skills, Luks encourages them to keep trying. "In practice, there is no real difference between a badly drawn dog and a beautifully drawn dog: Either way, it's still a dog."
Here is just a sample of some of his students' recent works.
Image courtesy of Francois Luks
Training Doctors to Draw: Increasing Patient Communication Through Illustration
Ryan Syrek, MA | July 3, 2018 | Contributor Information
Exercise 1: Illustrate the internal anatomy of your favorite cartoon character. Because drawing actual organs or bones can be intimidating if the student does not yet have full knowledge of normal anatomy, the creativity of imaginary anatomy frees the student from these inhibitions. This image is by Katherine Luchette.
Image courtesy of Francois Luks
Training Doctors to Draw: Increasing Patient Communication Through Illustration
Ryan Syrek, MA | July 3, 2018 | Contributor Information
Exercise 1 as drawn by Juliana Kim.
Image courtesy of Francois Luks
Training Doctors to Draw: Increasing Patient Communication Through Illustration
Ryan Syrek, MA | July 3, 2018 | Contributor Information
Exercise 1 as drawn by Can Cao.
Image courtesy of Francois Luks
Training Doctors to Draw: Increasing Patient Communication Through Illustration
Ryan Syrek, MA | July 3, 2018 | Contributor Information
Exercise 2: Render a photograph of a medical condition (here, gastroschisis, a form of abdominal wall defect) using gray-scale volume rendition. Focus on texture, shadows, light, and shading. This illustration was drawn by Katherine Luchette.
Image courtesy of Francois Luks
Training Doctors to Draw: Increasing Patient Communication Through Illustration
Ryan Syrek, MA | July 3, 2018 | Contributor Information
Exercise 2 as drawn by Juliana Kim.
Image courtesy of Francois Luks
Training Doctors to Draw: Increasing Patient Communication Through Illustration
Ryan Syrek, MA | July 3, 2018 | Contributor Information
Exercise 2 as drawn by Jena Lee.
Image courtesy of Francois Luks
Training Doctors to Draw: Increasing Patient Communication Through Illustration
Ryan Syrek, MA | July 3, 2018 | Contributor Information
Exercise 3: Create an anatomy image using digital drawing, including the use of layers. This illustration was created by Jade Wang.
Image courtesy of Francois Luks
Training Doctors to Draw: Increasing Patient Communication Through Illustration
Ryan Syrek, MA | July 3, 2018 | Contributor Information
Exercise 4: Use various forms of texturing, cross-hatching, "eyelashes," and other methods to render volumes and consistencies in your pen drawing. This illustration was done by Thomas J. Martin.
Image courtesy of Francois Luks
Training Doctors to Draw: Increasing Patient Communication Through Illustration
Ryan Syrek, MA | July 3, 2018 | Contributor Information
Exercise 4 as drawn by Can Cao.
Image courtesy of Francois Luks
Training Doctors to Draw: Increasing Patient Communication Through Illustration
Ryan Syrek, MA | July 3, 2018 | Contributor Information
Exercise 5: Illustrate an operation (from a video) in exactly three figures. To practice telling a story, identify the important points and key steps of a procedure. Draw what will happen, and what has happened, in the same image. This illustration is by Sophia Song.
Image courtesy of Francois Luks
Training Doctors to Draw: Increasing Patient Communication Through Illustration
Ryan Syrek, MA | July 3, 2018 | Contributor Information
Exercise 5 as drawn by Jena Lee.
Image courtesy of Francois Luks
Training Doctors to Draw: Increasing Patient Communication Through Illustration
Ryan Syrek, MA | July 3, 2018 | Contributor Information
Exercise 6: Illustrate an operation during a visit in an operating room, with written consent from patient and agreement from the surgeon and the staff. This illustration is by Georgianna Stoukides.
Anatomy as Artwork: 16 Medical Paintings and Sketches
Are the arts and medicine polar opposites or integrated disciplines? These captivating visuals reflect the variety of art forms used for learning, reflection, and healing.Medscape Features Slideshows, May 2017
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Ryan Syrek, MA
Editor, Medscape Medical Students, Residents, Drugs & Diseases
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