Do art aficionados make better doctors? Thanks to the program that art historian Amy Herman envisioned, they just might. The Art of Perception is a training seminar that focuses on sharpening observation and communication skills through viewing works of art. Participants are encouraged to voice what they see in a picture—and what they don’twithout using the words “obviously” or “clearly.” “Multiple perspectives make for more informed decision-making,” says Herman, “and discussing others’ perceptions of works of art seems to facilitate this process.”
Herman began the program in 2000—at the time, she was head of education at The Frick Collection—for medical students, with hopes of molding them to be more aware of their clients, and not their clients’ charts. By 2005, it had picked up enough steam, serving law enforcers, educators…
