Humanities and the Arts Pathway (HAP)

Program Contact

Andrea Kalus, MD
Pathway Faculty Advisor
she/her/hers
humanitiespathway@uw.edu

McKenna Karsten

UW Medical Student

Pronouns: she/her/hers
 

Creativity has always been a big part of my life, shaped by growing up in a family where it was encouraged and celebrated.  

For me, painting has always been a deeply personal way to express myself. It’s a form of journaling when words don’t come easily, and it helps me reflect and process my emotions. These creative outlets have not only enriched my life but also shaped how I think and communicate—skills that are essential as I move forward in my medical career.  

Throughout my life, art has been an important form of expression and reflection for me, often serving to connect with myself and others. From a young age, I found my own healing in painting and drawing, connecting with myself in the process. This interest has only grown as I’ve entered medicine, where I’ve noticed a striking connection between creativity and the practice of medicine. Many of the physicians I’ve shadowed and worked alongside have embraced creative outlets such as pottery, photography, and music, using these forms of expression not only to balance their demanding lives but also to connect with their patients on a deeper level. Witnessing this has shaped my belief that creativity is essential for fostering empathy and engaging with the humanity of each patient. 

I see the Humanities and the Arts Pathway as an opportunity to integrate creativity into my medical education, helping me better connect with patients through their unique stories and expressions. This pathway aligns with my desire to approach medicine holistically, honoring the individuality of each person I care for. By strengthening my creative instincts, I hope to strengthen my ability to see patients for their individuality and develop a stronger ability to serve my patients with a creative mindset. This pathway also provides balance during my training, allowing me to cultivate skills for reflection and growth, ensuring I remain connected to this unique side of myself.  

Debbie Wang

UW Medical Student

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Writing has always helped me make sense of the world. During college at Vanderbilt, I was a writer and later editor of the campus newspaper. I went on some truly amazing assignments, such as interviewing Ann Patchett, one of my favorite authors, at her Nashville bookstore Parnassus. After graduating, I founded the narrative medical journal “Go to the People” to shed light on the field of street medicine. The project eventually culminated in a published edition where the unhoused and the physicians who serve them shared their stories through essays and oral recordings.    

As I entered medical school, I knew I wanted to explore narrative medicine further, and the electives offered at UW have not disappointed! I’ve been able to roam the Seattle Art Museum through a course focused on visual thinking strategies and refine my storytelling skills through a narrative writing class with local physician-author Dr. Emily Transue. 

These experiences have deepened my belief in the power of narrative to foster trust between communities and the healthcare system. As a future physician, I hope to integrate writing into my practice in meaningful ways, whether by leading reflective writing activities, publishing short stories, or even writing my own book. 

Alex Thuesen

UW Medical Student 

Pronouns: he/him/his

Music has been a lifelong pursuit, shaping both my personal and professional growth. Growing up in Red Lodge, Montana, I had the privilege of exploring various facets of the musical world. Despite the rural setting, I performed piano at retirement homes, local saloons, and community centers, and played guitar with a school band, at open mic nights, and alongside peers during my undergraduate years in Bozeman. These opportunities deepened my appreciation for the transformative power of music, yet I am acutely aware that many youth and adults in the communities I serve lack access to similar experiences.  

While pursuing my medical education at the University of Washington School of Medicine’s Montana Foundations site, I have continued to nurture my passion by taking piano lessons through Montana State University. Although my academic responsibilities limit my opportunities for guitar or bass performance, music remains an integral part of my life. During my gap years, I volunteered at Wild Roots Therapy in Billings, where I worked with disadvantaged youth. This experience opened my eyes to the pervasive effects of socio-educational and economic disparities on childhood development. I hope to combine my passion for music with my medical training to foster community well-being, bridging the gap between public health initiatives and the joy of artistic expression. I envision using the HAP to enhance my therapeutic approach, fostering more sentimental and compassionate connections with patients beyond the often cold and analytical perspective gleaned from traditional classroom settings.  

Marina Howard-McGuire

UW Medical Student

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

The humanities, especially the performing arts, has always been a part of my life. I am a pianist, cellist, and music lover. I underwent intensive ballet training for 16 years and still take classes in my free time. I am also a prolific reader. I especially enjoy narrative essays, poetry, literature, nonfiction, fantasy, and science fiction. During last year's Mind, Body, and Pen class, I reconnected with a love of writing and am interested in exploring this further during medical school. I also enjoy the visual arts. I am an amateur photographer with a passion for architectural, travel, and landscape photography. I am currently teaching myself how to paint with watercolors.  

By being part of the Humanities and the Arts Pathway in medical school, I hope to cultivate a more nuanced and compassionate approach to medicine. Though we have only scratched the surface of the complexity of the science of medicine during Foundations, during my clinical experiences before and during medical school I have found that the human experiences within medicine of both patients and physicians is more complex. Before medical school, I worked in at a burn center as a nursing assistant where our patients and staff faced ethical questions daily. As an MS1, I thoroughly enjoyed exploring topics in medical ethics, narrative medicine, and the visual arts. I found that my exploration into the humanities helped me make sense of some of my past experiences. Learning through the experiences of others, learning to observe closely, and to consider complex ethical questions from different sides has helped me to connect more closely with patients and with myself. Art has also served as an outlet for creativity and a break from analytical thinking. I am increasingly interested in pursuing a career in either critical care or palliative care and pursing further training in bioethics. But in any specialty, a grounding in the humanities and art would make me a more compassionate, grounded, and empathetic physician.

The spotlight title goes here

The spotlight subtitle goes here.

Yehseo Jung

UW Medical Student

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers; They/Them/Theirs

Prior to medical school, I majored in anthropology for my undergraduate degree, and it profoundly shaped the way I view healthcare and the kind of medicine I wish to practice in the future. My anthropology courses on narrative, culture, and social structures pushed me to explore what it means to be human and granted me greater insight into issues like inequality and public health. I also took extensive courses in literature, analyzing the roles race, gender, sexuality and class play in shaping our perceptions of the environment. These courses gave me the opportunity for community-based learning, working in partnership with local environmental justice organizations in Philadelphia. I was also able to collaborate with the professor on an independent research project, exploring bio-social systems using a queer, feminist theoretical lens. This work on queer ecologies was featured in an upcoming documentary on mycology from PBS/WHYY in Philadelphia and published in an undergraduate journal. Altogether, I deeply value my prior experiences in the humanities and social sciences, and I look forward to continuing this in medical school as well. 

Part of what inspired my journey to medicine in the first place was my introduction to the medical humanities in a German class, out of all places. It was a course that focused on outbreak narratives within the context of German literature, and it was the first time I had been introduced to different cultural conceptions of contagion and health through the lens of fields like disability and gender studies. I grew up without health insurance and did not have a strong background in the sciences, so I never saw myself as someone who had a place in medicine whether it be as a patient or a provider. That class enabled me to situate myself within the broader context of the healthcare system and the culture of health and illness. This motivated me to pursue more classes and experiences relating to the medical humanities, and it ultimately gave me greater insights into what makes medicine so important: the humanity of it all. As I continue my journey in medicine, I hope to continue drawing upon these disciplines to guide my medical education and the way I approach caring for others. I am hoping to further understand the cultural, ethical, and social contexts of patients and illness narratives with my peers via the Humanities and the Arts pathway. 

Jasmine Ngai

UW Medical Student
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

I had always gravitated towards the humanities throughout my childhood as a voracious reader and writer, but by the time I started applying to colleges, I had already developed an interest in going into medicine. Realizing that I could still pursue a humanities major while fulfilling pre-med requirements was a very exciting prospect for me. I truly think that being an English major in college was the best decision I could have made, as I think that having a humanities background has been such a grounding force during medical school. As a first-year medical student, I was a co-leader of the UWSOM Medical Humanities Interest Group (in which we helped organize film screenings, reading club meetings, and the anatomy donor memorial ceremony). I also participated in three medical humanities elective classes, all of which have enriched my education so far. These electives have been revitalizing experiences amidst a very busy medical school curriculum.  

I think that a humanities education equips students with important observational skills, a curiosity for exploring different perspectives, and a strong understanding of how powerful narratives can be, whether in the hospital, classroom, or personal life. I believe that incorporating the humanities into medical education will promote the training of empathetic physicians who have a strong appreciation for patient narratives and the context behind every patient’s unique health situation. As part of the Humanities and the Arts Pathway, I look forward to collaborating with a student and faculty community passionate about finding connections between medicine and the humanities