Doctor, artify thyself

Physicians make better diagnoses if they've taken classes in the visual arts. That's the conclusion of a study at Harvard Med School.
Med students who studied art interpreted facial expressions and body postures better. It even works with abstract paintings (pattern recognition -- helpful with those nasty rashes you always get on your thighs. You really ought to have those looked at.)

Bobo's point in raising all this? The importance of arts education. Watching a show (which can be like watching mobile visual art) increases empathy and understanding. So how can we do a better job of selling the public on this idea? Theater and viz arts and reading books are all essential.

Meanwhile — and hey, Bobo's a jock, loves sports, but -- Indianapolis just spent $720 million on a new football stadium. Which they built right next to their old football stadium.
Wonder how well funded the Indy theater scene is.

www.cbc.ca/arts/artdesign/story/2008/08/18/
art-medicine.html?ref=rss