Tony Phan
In the bubble of medical school, studying to become a doctor is often met with tough academic standards and intense training. However, much like a pioneer exploring new frontiers, medical students can leverage creativity as our compass to progress through the educational pipeline. Creativity can help us become better doctors by sparking our ability to innovate, empathize, and adapt within the art of medicine.
Explorers often rely heavily on their compass to navigate treacherous and unforgiving terrain. Similarly, when medical students embark on their educational journey filled with an intense curriculum, demanding schedules, and challenging concepts, creativity can serve as their compass to navigate their new terrain. By thinking creatively, medical students can develop unique study methods to grasp difficult material and discover new connections. Embracing this mindset can transform learning from a linear process into an adventure, making our medical education more enjoyable and surprisingly effective.
As any explorer can attest, the journey is never easy and often filled with unforeseen challenges. In these instances, the compass becomes essential for finding an alternate path. For medical students, creativity can provide us with the necessary tools to adapt and tackle complex problems during our training. When traditional methods fall short, a creative lens can help us think outside the box and create solutions. The ability to think unconventionally is invaluable in medicine, as every patient’s treatment requires a unique and tailored plan.
A creative approach in medicine can also enhance our ability to connect with patients. While explorers must understand the cultural nuances of various regions, physicians must grasp the diverse backgrounds of their patient population. By treating the patient rather than just the disease, we can foster meaningful interactions and build trust, resulting in better health outcomes. Moreover, creativity enables doctors to improve patient education by using innovative teaching methods and analogies to make medical jargon more understandable. Tapping into our creative reserves allows us to cultivate the soft skills necessary to deliver compassionate patient care.
As medical students, we have a unique platform to create original ideas that integrate our skills and interests. At The University of Texas at Tyler School of Medicine, I have the privilege of co- leading the initiative “Prescribing Smiles,” where medical students showcase a different side of medicine and bring fun and joy to patients in the community. We were inspired to create this campaign to address the need for innovative healthcare delivery in East Texas by using humor to improve communication and empower patients. This concept grew to include patients in hospice and long-term acute care facilities. By sharing light-hearted moments and healing through humor, we can help create a positive environment that promotes well-being.
Creativity can serve as a vital compass for medical students, guiding us through the evolving field of medicine. It can also be a valuable life skill that will compound and enrich every aspect of our lives, as well as our patient’s lives. By encouraging innovation, enhancing empathy, and promoting adaptability, an unconventional approach can transform us into more compassionate doctors that are better equipped to navigate the complex challenges of healthcare.
Tony Phan, a second-year medical student at The University of Texas at Tyler School of Medicine, hails from Corpus Christi, TX, where he was raised by Vietnamese immigrant parents. His passion lies in family medicine, where he aspires to forge meaningful connections with patients and provide comprehensive care to meet the needs of underserved communities. Outside of school, he enjoys exercising, reading, writing, and performing comedy.