Education and Training

The Huntington Library Hosts REACH Capstone Experience

KPSOM Class of 2024 students explore Narrative Medicine and EID topics through a look at the humanities

May 23, 2024

KPSOM students, faculty, and The Huntington Library partners gathered onsite for the Class of 2024’s capstone REACH course.

When Deepu Gowda MD, MPH, MS, Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine (KPSOM) Assistant Dean for Medical Education and Narrative Medicine Lead, first interviewed for his role at the school in the winter of 2018, he visited The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens, located nearby in Pasadena, California. The experience had a profound effect on him.

He thought The Huntington would be an ideal place to bring KPSOM students to learn because of the intellectual and aesthetic exploration the institution encourages by highlighting the beauty and mystery of natural, artistic, and literary worlds. Dr. Gowda’s dream of partnering with the institution came to fruition on April 25 as KPSOM’s Class of 2024 spent a half day at The Huntington as part of the final REACH session, just weeks prior to their graduation. In REACH—an acronym for reflection, education, assessment, coaching, and health and well-being—students venture away from their usual science-based coursework to focus on topics such as health and well-being, narrative medicine, and equity, inclusion, and diversity (EID).

The day’s activities were framed around concepts of narrative medicine—a branch of the health humanities that encourages engagement with creative works such as literature, visual art, film, and expressive writing—which is an essential component of REACH intended to develop students’ skills in close observation, self-awareness, and empathy while building connection with classmates. The day was also co-created by Nicole Lawson, PhD, KPSOM Faculty Director of Inclusive Curriculum, and Carol Rojas, EID Analyst, to critically examine the self and other in relation to the system at large.

“The Huntington is a place that powerfully calls forth one's curiosity and wonder of the world [which is what] we wish for our students and is necessary for vital, creative, and effective work as a physician and leader,” said Dr. Gowda. “We sought to conclude the REACH curriculum in a poetic fashion, allowing students to spend time with one another and to allow solitary time to contemplate and reflect on their four years at the school and consider what lies ahead.”

Deepu Gowda, KPSOM Assistant Dean for Medical Education, addresses the group.

The group, which consisted of KPSOM students, faculty, REACH coaches, friends from academia, Dr. Gowda, and partners from The Huntington, kicked the day off with a brief orientation that detailed the structure of the day’s activities, and the group was introduced to The Huntington’s Dr. Joel Klein, Molina Curator for the History of Medicine and Allied Sciences; Kim Tulipana, Associate Director of Public, School, and Digital Programs; and Barbara House, Art Docent, who each led the day’s sessions.

Three groups of students rotated through three 45-minute sessions led by Dr. Klein, Tulipana, and House, respectively. History of Medicine explored a world-renowned rare book collection within the institution’s Munger Building and included discussions on evolving understandings of the body, health, and illness, as well as an exploration of EID issues in medicine. The group touched on topics ranging from how the growth of medical knowledge over time has relied on the exploitation of vulnerable members of society to the killing of Latino journalist Rubén Salazar, who died in an East Los Angeles bar during the Chicano civil rights movement after being hit by a police tear-gas munition. The group was even treated to a viewing of some of the world’s oldest anatomy books as well as an original copy of abolitionist, orator, and author Frederick Douglass’ My Bondage and My Freedom. The session’s focus on historical texts was designed to explore the history of medicine and public health, which has been characterized by both great achievement as well as profound injustice.

Photo 1: Dr. Joel Klein of The Huntington Library showcases some of the world’s oldest anatomy books from the Munger Building’s rare books collection. Photo 2: The Huntington Library. Photo 3: Barbara House of The Huntington Library invites her group to think deeply about the showcased painting and to share observations, a key element of narrative medicine. — Photo 1: Dr. Joel Klein of The Huntington Library showcases some of the world’s oldest anatomy books from the Munger Building’s rare books collection.

Photo 2: The Huntington Library

Photo 3: Barbara House of The Huntington Library invites her group to think deeply about the showcased painting and to share observations, a key element of narrative medicine.

In response to the discussion on some of medicine’s historical ills, Sampreeti Chowdhuri, MD, a recent KPSOM graduate said, “These are atrocities that occurred mostly to the people that society at the time deemed less deserving of proper care, whether that was prisoners, people of color, slaves … a lot of medicine is built on the backs of very unethical practices, so I think it’s important to remind ourselves of that and reflect upon those more unsavory aspects of medicine [so] we don’t repeat anything near the level of mistakes that our forefathers in this profession have.”

Another session included a visual tour of the Huntington’s European Art Museum. The group viewed and discussed the Portrait of José Antonio Caballero by Spanish artist Francisco Goya as well as other works from the collection. The group was encouraged to look closely and describe what they observed. A third session focused on centering and contemplation. This session was comprised of two parts—one in which students were asked to find a place to sit alone in the garden and engage in close observation of their environment. The second portion of the session prompted students to write; they contemplated their growth over the past four years and considered the next stage of their training upon graduation. Students were also invited to reflect on how concepts of EID and narrative medicine might inform their future as physicians. They later had a chance to share their reflections with classmates in small groups over lunch.

Kim Tulipana of The Huntington discussed the Portrait of José Antonio Caballero by Spanish artist Francisco Goya with her group.

“We are thrilled to be able to introduce narrative medicine into the curriculum across different courses at KPSOM, including REACH and doctoring,” said Dr. Gowda. “Being a physician requires us to attend to the humanity of both patients and us as clinicians. The humanities give us tools to help us grapple with human experience and all of its tragedies, triumphs, and nuances. That is what we are doing as physicians -- supporting our patients in their journey through the human experience of health and illness.”

Alexis Gutierrez, MD, another recent KPSOM graduate, echoed these sentiments. “This coursework has influenced the way I think about the meaning of health and disease. Prior to medical school, I considered the role of a physician to treat a patient’s biological disease, because that’s what medical education has historically focused on. In the REACH and narrative medicine curriculum, we spent time reflecting on the power of storytelling in memorializing and interpreting the human experience. When you think about it, physicians are interpreting patient stories to gather information on their symptoms and disease. These patient stories, however, are influenced by more than just their biology. During some narrative medicine sessions, we spent time looking at artwork and describing what stood out to us. This gave us opportunities to pay attention to small details that can be missed if the observer rushes. We then considered how these small details came together to create the big picture. It made me think about how attention to detail is crucial when gathering a patient history … My hope is that I can be genuinely present in each encounter so that I can understand whole patient stories and meet patients where they are to provide the most appropriate care for their individual needs.”

Recent graduate Dominick Zheng, MD, explained how the course’s encouragement of observation and wonder complemented the students’ action-oriented medical training. The capstone experience was a reminder to be present, he said.

“A physician that has deep medical knowledge and the technical skills to diagnose and give the right treatment will be an outstanding technician,” said Dr. Gowda. “It is only with the addition of the capacity to be present with patients and deeply listen to them that this outstanding technician can transform their practice to become a great physician and healer. This is what we want for our students. This is what their future patients deserve.”

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