Thinking Outside the Curriculum

The Student Body Governance hosted a trip to the Philadelphia Museum of Art to experience how art and how to think about art can facilitate well-being and may enhance patient care skills.  Stephen Doll, Executive Assistant to the Dean, and Nicholas Leon, PharmD,  were able to share their knowledge and experiences while discussing several world-famous pieces within the museum’s collection enabling students to practice observation, self-reflection, and empathy skills.  These conversations connected creative expression, the diversity of medium and subject, and the restorative power of the arts in general with the practice of pharmacy.

Student pharmacist, Teague Smith stated, “I got to learn more about how to interpret art and gave me a new sense of appreciation.  This activity helped me get out of my comfort zone with the arts.”

Student pharmacist, Grace Sawicki, observed “This activity helped me to meet other P2s and P3s at Thomas Jefferson. It gave me an opportunity to talk with other pharmacy students about their experiences in the pharmacy program so far and to talk about the art. It also helped me and my classmates to travel off campus and participate in an activity that was not school or pharmacy related. Lastly, it also gave me a better appreciation for the arts and how many different styles and interpretations there are.”