University of Wisconsin–Madison
Top view picture of wooden paintbrush set different size with old palette on the background
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The purpose of art is to lay bare the questions that have been concealed by the answers.
James Baldwin

Making and Music

Welcome to the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health Healer’s Art Elective! This elective is offered to first- and second-year medical students interested in exploring themes of humanity in medicine. Specifically, the course provides a space for dialogue related to the following topics: Discovering and Nurturing Your Wholeness Sharing Grief and Honoring Loss Beyond Analysis: Allowing the Awe in Medicine The Care of the Soul: Service as a Way of Life Embracing the Discovery Model of Learning, the Healer’s Art elective hosts conversations in which students and faculty are all co-learners and co-teachers. The five course sessions involve a combination of personal reflection, small group sharing, and large group learning, storytelling, and discussion. Sessions are three hours in length, and 4 out of the 5 sessions must be attended to obtain credit. To register for this 1-credit course, use Oasis Code 370-711.


Conductor leading cellists during a performance in a concert hall.

“Faculty, staff, and students from across the many disciplines of SMPH sit next to one another, working together in interprofessional teams collaborating to make music, so it’s a great way to build connections and community,” Petty says. “It’s also an important outlet for creativity and other aspects of wellness that are so important for our community. Several studies have shown practicing and thinking about music broadens your ability to think critically. Music can also prompt reflection of emotions like compassion and empathy in both performers and audience members.”

Detailed anatomical illustration of a human brain with labeled parts

Corpus Callosum is the online arts journal of Ebling Library, in the UW-Madison’s School of Medicine and Public Health. Corpus Callosum showcases a variety of arts, from the written word to visual arts to multimedia; please note that the art published here does not necessarily represent or reflect the views or opinions of the Ebling Library or the UW-Madison.

Wisconsin license plate with the text "IDEA" and the University of Wisconsin-Madison badger mascot
One of the longest and deepest traditions surrounding the University of Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Idea signifies a general principle: that education should influence people’s lives beyond the boundaries of the classroom.