Pathway Overview
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Explore all Pathway programs offered through the UW School of Medicine.
The medical humanities – which includes art, music, literature, drama, writing, dance, philosophy, history, and more – can enrich our lives in medicine, increase our ability to observe, help us understand perspectives other than our own, shed light on community concerns and the role we play in questions of justice, inspire artistic expression, and allow us to cultivate a deep understanding of the humanity of not only our patients but ourselves, giving us tools we need to provide high-quality patient-centered care.
The Humanities and the Arts Pathway (HAP) provides a unique educational experience for medical students to thoughtfully and creatively engage with patient stories and the experience of becoming a physician using specialized modules, clinical experiences, reflection, and creative expression.
Previously HAP was a pilot project for Seattle-based students. As of Fall 2023, the Pathway accepts students from all WWAMI regions.
Program Contact
Andrea Kalus, MD
Pathway Faculty Advisor
she/her/hers
humanitiespathway@uw.edu
How To Apply
Applications for the Fall 2024 cohort will be accepted now to Dec. 13, 2024.
A final decision will be made by late-Dec. 2024. Please Note: Acceptance is currently limited to seven students.
To apply to the Humanities and the Arts Pathway, you must be a first-year medical student currently enrolled at the University of Washington School of Medicine.
*Second year students can apply if they have taken BH510 as a first year student. This does require approval from Dr. Andrea Kalus, the faculty advisor. Please reach out to Dr. Andrea Kalus by email if you have questions (akalus@uw.edu)
Humanities & Medicine in the News
Explore additional news and stories featuring humanities and medicine.
Drs. Andrea Kalus & Molly B. Jackson Awarded $5K for Med Student Art Program
Congratulations to Andrea Kalus, MD, and Molly Blackley Jackson, MD, who have recently been awarded a $5000 grant to support their collaborative project.
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HAP Celebrates First Graduate Art Show
The Humanities and the Arts Pathway (HAP)’s inaugural Graduate Art Show is currently on display at UW Medical Center-Montlake Sky Gallery, showcasing capstone projects from the first two graduates of the program.
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The Huddle: Art Show Connects Medical Students and Providers
First-year medical students participated in the (Im)Printed art exhibition as part of their Foundations of Clinical Medicine course. The art exhibition encouraged reflections on identity, relationships and purpose.
learn more- "The beauty of medical language," Danielle Ofri, Perspectives The Art of Medicine, March 2022. (
PDF) - "Healing arts: The synergy of medicine and the humanities," Audrey Shafer, Stanford Medicine, Winter 2017. (View article, PDF)
- "UW uses artwork to help sharpen visual skills of future doctors," Kyung M. Song. Seattle Times, Dec. 2008. (View article, PDF)
meet our students
Andrew Oh
UW Medical Student
Andrew Oh
Pronouns: he/him/his
What interested you in joining the Humanities and the Arts Pathway?
What interested you in joining the Humanities and the Arts Pathway?
What interested you in joining the Humanities and the Arts Pathway?
My interest in the Humanities and the Arts Pathway started with the household I grew up in. My father, along with being a dentist, is a photographer, and he always loved to relate the photos he grew up showing me to various stories in his life. My mother went to school for piano in Vienna and still plays songs from her childhood around the house, daily. My sister is a current film and fashion double-major at the Rhode Island School of Design, and we constantly text each other about all things pop culture, from the best/worst outfits at New York Fashion Week, to the spiritual motifs in Kanye’s new album. Hoping to stay connected with my artistic side throughout my career, I saw this pathway as a creative outlet that could equip me with the skills needed to help me understand and empathize with the experiences of my future patients.
What aspect of the humanities and arts are you most interested in?
What aspect of the humanities and arts are you most interested in?
I grew up with a love for writing, and this has been most recently channeled into my side-career as a children's author. My sister is an illustrator, and we have teamed up to write children's books that aim to communicate, familiarize, and explain health concepts to children in a way that makes sense. So far, we've tackled acne and eyesight.
How do you hope the humanities disciplines can impact medicine?
How do you hope the humanities disciplines can impact medicine?
Health literacy in the community has always been a big passion of mine to further, and I see the humanities disciplines as a unique tool to push this mission forward. If we can find ways to creatively, yet effectively, communicate health concepts and engage in health dialogue with our patients, then we can empower them to make informed decisions about their own health. There is power in using mediums such as painting, film, music, and writing to convey certain messages to patients, understand their experiences, and create deeper, emotional connections — it just takes a bit of ingenuity!