At Rutgers New Jersey Medical School (NJMS), the education of a future doctor involves more than just anatomy and physiology. Pulmonologist Andrew Berman, a professor of medicine, is actively injecting humanistic elements into his instruction of first-year students, using popular music and fine art to cultivate thoughtfulness and empathy.
“A doctor is someone who listens, observes, and interprets,” Berman said. “These basic skills apply equally to the humanities as they do to the art of medicine.”
Each of Berman’s class sessions at the Newark school begins with him playing recorded music relevant to the day’s topic. He also occasionally asks students to analyze a piece of visual art. The music spans genres from Taylor Swift to Pink Floyd, while the art ranges from Botticelli to Andy Warhol.
For a discussion on ventilation, Berman began class with Post Malone’s “Hold My Breath.” When covering the movement of air into the large airways of the lung, he had students examine Van Gogh’s “Starry Night.” “In it, the turbulent sky resembles how air flows in this part of the lungs,” he explained.
The integration of humanistic elements is a long-standing core principle at the medical school, anchored by the Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey Center for Humanism and Medicine, established over two decades ago.
For Berman, the central aim is to encourage every individual in the healthcare spectrum—patients, doctors, lab technicians, and staff—to view each other as individuals.
“A physician’s responsibility extends beyond facts and analysis,” Tanya Norment, program administrator for the Center for Humanism and Medicine, said. “It requires the integration of compassion with intellect, ensuring that both the heart and soul are engaged in the care of patients.”
This humanistic emphasis extends outside the classroom, notably through the annual literary journal, Ars Literarium, founded in 2016. The journal publishes poetry, prose, and visual art from all students and serves as an outlet for self-expression and decreasing academic pressure. Berman serves as one of its faculty advisers.
“The ability to express yourself and the inclination to observe, both of which are fostered by Ars Literarium, will enable students to become better at patient interactions,” Berman noted.
Through these discussions and creative outlets, NJMS encourages students to look beyond their professional education, even turning class lectures toward public policy and global issues, such as exploring the respiratory consequences of climate change.
“For a doctor, it’s essential to be aware that it’s not about you,” Berman stated. “Doctors don’t simply treat a disease – they treat the person who is ill. And that involves trying to understand their patient, the condition, and the world around them.”
