Use of Fine Art to Enhance Visual Diagnostic Skills

Abstract

Observational skills that define the astute clinician are usually only acquired after years of clinical experience. Recognizing both the subtle and obvious visual details is a critical aspect of visual diagnosis or ‘seeing’. Nonetheless, the formal teaching of observational skills is rarely included in the medical curriculum. We studied whether the experiential process of seeing such visual details can be enhanced in medical students through systemic visual training using representational paintings.