CHEST Guidelines-Art-and-Ego

Art-and-Ego_chest

Pdf Summary

Ali I. Rae, a fourth-year medical student at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, crafted a reflective poem during his third year of medical school titled "Art and Ego." The poem delves into the tension and duality between the art and science of medicine. Rae uses vivid imagery to express skepticism about the traditional, scientific approach to medicine, represented by stethoscopes, charts, and formulas, suggesting they fall short of capturing the wholeness of the human experience, which he equates to the beauty of the written word. <br /><br />However, as the poem progresses, Rae reconciles these seemingly disparate realms, recognizing connections between anatomical mechanics and artistic expression, as illustrated by comparing nephrons to brass trombones and articulating joints to verses. He acknowledges that the pursuit of medical knowledge, although perceived as cold and clinical, may possess warmth akin to the mystery of human experience, suggesting a synthesis between scientific inquiry and artistic expression. Rae hints at the possibility that this perceived artifice in medicine might be a necessary pursuit of a deeper truth, leading him to question his initial perceptions of the profession.<br /><br />The poem, published by the American College of Chest Physicians, reflects on these complexities and invites readers to contemplate the reconciliation of the scientific and artistic aspects of the medical field. The editors of the poetic publication, Pectoriloquy, encourage submissions related to medical themes and emphasize the unique perspective poetry brings to the discourse in medicine.

Keywords

medical student

reflective poem

art and science

medicine

vivid imagery

anatomical mechanics

artistic expression

American College of Chest Physicians

Pectoriloquy

medical themes