Since 2017, Drs. Peggy Leung and Andrea Card from the Division of General Internal Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine have been building an innovative approach to residency training that uses art to strengthen clinical education. What began as a small group of primary care residents has now grown into a thoughtful program shaped by community partnerships and a belief that art can deepen the skills physicians need to care for patients with empathy and insight. They have recently been selected to receive a $5,000 award from Cornell University’s Office of the Vice Provost for Academic Innovation and the Center for Teaching Innovation’s “Creative Teaching Award: Taking Learning Outside the Classroom.” Their proposal stood out for its innovative use of art‑based activities to help medical residents build empathy and strengthen relationships with patients.
Students drawing in The Noguchi Museum sculpture garden
Drs. Leung and Card’s early motivation came from their interest in using local community resources to support both residents and patients. Working with residents who cared for patients in one of the largest public housing communities in New York City, they asked how the arts could help physicians better understand the environments that shape health. This question evolved from an existing collaboration with the Noguchi Museum which became a central partner in the program.
One of the most meaningful components is the personal response tour created with museum educators. Together, residents and patients are guided through the museum, responding to prompts that encourage reflection evoking emotional memory and personal experiences. This new shared experience in this setting opened conversations between a patient and provider in ways that rarely happen in clinical exam rooms. Reflecting on these moments Drs. Leung and Card note, “Art gives people permission to express what they might not say in a medical visit. It creates a space where patients and physicians can see each other more fully.”
As the program expanded, Drs. Leung and Card focused on how art could strengthen communication and the patient physician relationship. Interns and residents describe the sessions as grounding and restorative. The museum setting gives them room to decompress from the intensity of clinical work and to reflect on their own identity as physicians. Many saw improvements in their ability to listen, observe and understand the emotional and social context of patient care.
Drs. Leung and Card emphasized the importance of creating space for reflection. Art museums offer an environment that encourages openness and curiosity. They noted that these experiences help residents improve communication and approach patients with a more holistic understanding of their lives. This work confirms that art is a powerful tool that helps future physicians connect more deeply with their patients and community.