What can comic art about illness and health care offer patients and families as they navigate health challenges? This month on Ethics Talk, we discuss why comic art is a unique and powerful medium for communicating about difficult and emotional encounters with illness and health care.

Dr James Van Arsdall shares his experience of sitting for a portrait after his treatment for oral cancer, and Dr Mark Gilbert describes how he came to do portraiture in clinical settings. 

Alice Wong and Dr Joseph Stramondo join us on this special episode of Ethics Talk to discuss how perspectives from the disability community can help us think more powerfully about quality of life, resource allocation, and other ethical challenges arising in pandemics. Transcript available.

Kelly Leonard, executive director of insights and applied improvisation at Second City Works, relates how improvisation can help clinicians build relationships with patients and improve their outcomes.

Dr Sara M. Bergstresser joins Ethics Talk to discuss her article: “Asylums and Harm Embodiment.”

Dr Evguenia S. Popova joins Ethics Talk to discuss how collaborations between academic health centers and arts institutions can help students build their professional skills in empathic responsiveness and communication.

Ari Ne’eman joins Ethics Talk to discuss his article, When Disability is Defined by Behavior, Outcome Measures Should Not promote “Passing”.

Dr James B. Young joins Ethics Talk to discuss his article: “Does Osler’s Aequanimitas Inform Our Contemporary Pursuit of Stillness?”

Dr Wendy A. Stewart joins Ethics Talk to discuss her article, coauthored with Dr Sophia Miao: “Songwriting and Youth Self-Concept."

Dr Roma Subramanian joins Ethics Talk to discuss her article, coauthored with Dr Matthew J. Brooks: “How a Medical Orchestra Cultivates Creativity, Joy, Empathy, and Connection.”