Medicine as a Performance: Embodying Empathy in Contemporary Medical Practice

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The current empathy crisis in healthcare is a growing epidemic. As twenty-first century medicine focuses on patient-centered care, studies have indicated that the implementation of standardized communication protocols and the increasing use of biomedical technologies are making many patients feel increasingly disconnected from their doctors. Furthermore, there is a paradox in modern medical education as the constant testing of clinical skills is forcing students to experience burnout and as such, compassionate care is lost early on. Now medical educators are addressing this empathy problem by turning to the arts for a solution. The discipline of performance studies allows for students to assess the history and sociocultural background of medicine in order to better recognize the evolution of the multifaceted practice of medicine and the principal doctor-patient relationship. This thesis documents the history and examines the current state of medical education in the United States, analyzes how clinical empathy is taught in medical school, and proposes that performance studies should be integrated into the core curriculum. I present examples from Performing Medicine, a theatre arts program that creates courses and workshops for medical students focusing on communication skills, body language, and mindfulness.

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