Beyond the Stethoscope: Dance, Creativity and the Healing Arts in Medical Education
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| Title: | Beyond the Stethoscope: Dance, Creativity and the Healing Arts in Medical Education |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Lucy Mayes |
| Source: | Australian Journal of Adult Learning. 2025 65(3):482-496. |
| Availability: | Adult Learning Australia. Office 1, Henderson House, 45 Moreland Street, Footscray VIC 3011, Australia. Tel: +61-3-9689-8623; e-mail: info@ala.asn.au; Web site: https://ajal.net.au/ |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 14 |
| Publication Date: | 2025 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Opinion Papers |
| Descriptors: | Medical Education, Art Expression, Dance, Neurosciences, Nonprofit Organizations, Self Expression, Fine Arts, Creative Activities, Foreign Countries, Interdisciplinary Approach |
| Geographic Terms: | Australia |
| ISSN: | 1443-1394 |
| Abstract: | This reflective piece explores the intersection of creative arts and medical practice through personal narratives of healthcare professionals who have integrated artistic expression into their education and their own healing work. Centered on the work of the Hush Foundation which has pioneered the use of arts in health and on the story of "the dancing doctor," Doctor Richard Mayes, who found renewal through dance and subsequently incorporated movement into medical education, the article examines how creative arts serve as both personal medicine for healthcare providers and valuable pedagogical tools for healthcare education, ongoing professional development, and organisational culture change. Drawing on interviews with medical practitioners including Professor Catherine Crock, Dr. Richard Mayes and Dr Glenn Colqhoun,the paper investigates how conventional medical education's narrow focus on scientific knowledge has contributed to physician burnout, poor workplace cultures and patient safety risks, while neglecting the humanistic aspects of healing. The narratives reveal a consistent pattern: practitioners who learn through or integrate creative expression--whether through dance, poetry, music, or storytelling--report restored compassion, enhanced patient connections, and greater professional sustainability. Supported by emerging neuroscience research on embodied cognition and Dr. Lynne Kelly's work on knowledge transmission, the paper demonstrates how artistic modalities engage neural pathways that enhance memory and promote holistic understanding. The author advocates for a paradigm shift in medical education that honors both scientific rigor and creative expression, positioning the healthcare provider-patient relationship as a collaborative partnership rather than a hierarchical interaction. This transformation requires rebalancing medical education to cultivate self-awareness, deep listening, and creative engagement--essential skills for addressing modern healthcare challenges that cannot be solved through pharmaceutical intervention alone. The piece concludes that integrating creative arts into medical practice offers a pathway toward sustainable healthcare that nurtures both practitioners and patients. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2025 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1490439 |
| Database: | ERIC |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Beyond the Stethoscope: Dance, Creativity and the Healing Arts in Medical Education – Name: Language Label: Language Group: Lang Data: English – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lucy+Mayes%22">Lucy Mayes</searchLink> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Australian+Journal+of+Adult+Learning%22"><i>Australian Journal of Adult Learning</i></searchLink>. 2025 65(3):482-496. – Name: Avail Label: Availability Group: Avail Data: Adult Learning Australia. Office 1, Henderson House, 45 Moreland Street, Footscray VIC 3011, Australia. Tel: +61-3-9689-8623; e-mail: info@ala.asn.au; Web site: https://ajal.net.au/ – Name: PeerReviewed Label: Peer Reviewed Group: SrcInfo Data: Y – Name: Pages Label: Page Count Group: Src Data: 14 – Name: DatePubCY Label: Publication Date Group: Date Data: 2025 – Name: TypeDocument Label: Document Type Group: TypDoc Data: Journal Articles<br />Opinion Papers – Name: Subject Label: Descriptors Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Medical+Education%22">Medical Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Art+Expression%22">Art Expression</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Dance%22">Dance</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Neurosciences%22">Neurosciences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Nonprofit+Organizations%22">Nonprofit Organizations</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Self+Expression%22">Self Expression</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Fine+Arts%22">Fine Arts</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Creative+Activities%22">Creative Activities</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Interdisciplinary+Approach%22">Interdisciplinary Approach</searchLink> – Name: Subject Label: Geographic Terms Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Australia%22">Australia</searchLink> – Name: ISSN Label: ISSN Group: ISSN Data: 1443-1394 – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: This reflective piece explores the intersection of creative arts and medical practice through personal narratives of healthcare professionals who have integrated artistic expression into their education and their own healing work. Centered on the work of the Hush Foundation which has pioneered the use of arts in health and on the story of "the dancing doctor," Doctor Richard Mayes, who found renewal through dance and subsequently incorporated movement into medical education, the article examines how creative arts serve as both personal medicine for healthcare providers and valuable pedagogical tools for healthcare education, ongoing professional development, and organisational culture change. Drawing on interviews with medical practitioners including Professor Catherine Crock, Dr. Richard Mayes and Dr Glenn Colqhoun,the paper investigates how conventional medical education's narrow focus on scientific knowledge has contributed to physician burnout, poor workplace cultures and patient safety risks, while neglecting the humanistic aspects of healing. The narratives reveal a consistent pattern: practitioners who learn through or integrate creative expression--whether through dance, poetry, music, or storytelling--report restored compassion, enhanced patient connections, and greater professional sustainability. Supported by emerging neuroscience research on embodied cognition and Dr. Lynne Kelly's work on knowledge transmission, the paper demonstrates how artistic modalities engage neural pathways that enhance memory and promote holistic understanding. The author advocates for a paradigm shift in medical education that honors both scientific rigor and creative expression, positioning the healthcare provider-patient relationship as a collaborative partnership rather than a hierarchical interaction. This transformation requires rebalancing medical education to cultivate self-awareness, deep listening, and creative engagement--essential skills for addressing modern healthcare challenges that cannot be solved through pharmaceutical intervention alone. The piece concludes that integrating creative arts into medical practice offers a pathway toward sustainable healthcare that nurtures both practitioners and patients. – Name: AbstractInfo Label: Abstractor Group: Ab Data: As Provided – Name: DateEntry Label: Entry Date Group: Date Data: 2025 – Name: AN Label: Accession Number Group: ID Data: EJ1490439 |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Languages: – Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 14 StartPage: 482 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Medical Education Type: general – SubjectFull: Art Expression Type: general – SubjectFull: Dance Type: general – SubjectFull: Neurosciences Type: general – SubjectFull: Nonprofit Organizations Type: general – SubjectFull: Self Expression Type: general – SubjectFull: Fine Arts Type: general – SubjectFull: Creative Activities Type: general – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries Type: general – SubjectFull: Interdisciplinary Approach Type: general – SubjectFull: Australia Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Beyond the Stethoscope: Dance, Creativity and the Healing Arts in Medical Education Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Lucy Mayes IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 01 Type: published Y: 2025 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 1443-1394 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 65 – Type: issue Value: 3 Titles: – TitleFull: Australian Journal of Adult Learning Type: main |
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