Please post your response to the readings here!
Remember to bring in collage materials (black and white printings) of your project/digital storytelling/research work!
Please post your response to the readings here!
Remember to bring in collage materials (black and white printings) of your project/digital storytelling/research work!
This week’s reading was about graphic medicine. The reading defined graphic medicine in a few different ways, but one stood out to me- “movement for change that challenges the dominant methods of scholarship in healthcare, offering a more inclusive perspective of medicine, illness, disability, caregiving, and being care for.†This movement for change happens through the intersection of narrative medicine and the medium of comics. I found this to be an interesting reading because I have never really thought about how comics can contribute to movements for change, especially in regard to health. I am someone who has never really read comics and so I only really think of the “funnies†section when I hear comics, though I know there is more to it than that. As I read through the piece though, I was able to see great examples as to how this can happen in practice.
The chapter written by Smith discussed how comic scholarship is being approached. During this he critiqued how academia has tried to treat comics like other forms of literature and expression that are more widely accepted in academia. For example, Smith brought up that using the term “graphic novel†rather than comic is done to add “prestige†to the form by comparing it to literature rather than its own form. Additionally, Smith went on to say that while referring to comics as “literature†gives the works credibility in academia, it also erases the medium’s own history and culture since it is not viewed as its own legitimate work. Like Smith, I can see the flaws in approaching comics as literature. By ignoring their own history and cultural contributions you can miss out on understanding how comics have contributed to discourse around change and in turn changing systems over time. Similarly, the chapter Squier wrote built upon this as she gave concrete example as to how comics have contributed to social justice issues. The examples she shared perfect at illustrating how comics contribute to social justice for someone like me, who had no background knowledge on comics.
The final chapter by Czerwiec, served as a great example as to how making comics can be beneficial for folks, especially those working in health care, as method for coping and reflection. While I am not someone who tends to be artistically inclined especially with drawing, I did think of how this could benefit one of my good friends who is in her first year of medical school. She is someone who has always enjoyed creating art in multiple forms/mediums. Seeing how comics can intersect with health care and as a means of reflecting on experiences with patients might be something that she would find interesting. Being able to combine two things that she enjoys in a way that would benefit her social/emotional health as well as her ability to be a successful med student (and in the future a doctor) is key. I will definitely have to tell her about this reading the next time I see her
I really enjoyed the reading for this week because the idea of comics being used in healthcare is not something I am familiar with or have thought of before. I was never really into comics as a child. I would read the Sunday comics from the newspaper but that was about it. The part that stood out to me the most was when MK Czerwiec talked about asking 1st graders if they are artists versus asking 5th graders. Even for young kids with only a four year age gap, there was a major difference. Everyone in 1st grade raised their hand, yet almost no one in 5th grade did. The author mentions that our focus is mainly on writing as we get older, and we are nervous about drawing because we don’t think we can do it ‘well’. I agree with this because drawing makes me uncomfortable because I don’t think I can draw! I like that Czerwiec said that it is not about creating something realistic, which is important to remember so we don’t become disappointed with our results. I think when I draw, I have expectations of how it should look in my head, and when the result doesn’t look the same, I get frustrated.
The one time I remember using comics in an academic setting was in AP U.S. history in high school. We would always look at political comics for the lesson we were learning and then have to interpret what the comic was trying to convey. Often times they were satirical and provided a critical way to examine the political climate without writing a 10 page article. I loved analyzing these, and even now, Times magazine has some cartoons on the cover or in their magazine. The “Bad Blastocyst†comic that Susan Merrill Squier shared reminded me of these comics because it combined social justice with a current polarizing issue. I was very happy when I saw she included these comics at the end of her chapter because I was going to end up looking them up out of curiosity. Using comics is a great way to start a conversation and get people engaged in issues that are difficult to talk about. Also, I am curious about the collection “Not Your Mother’s Meatloaf†and would love to be able to see the use of comics as a way to teach sex ed. I think the use of comics as a way to reach adolescents on a sensitive topic is a great idea. It makes the content more relatable and less clinical. I think this would make adolscents more willing to engage in the material if sex ed was taught using supplemental mediums such as comics.
This week’s readings centered on the use of comics to convey messages about health and medicine. I was immediately taken aback by the idea that physicians were utilizing this method. I associate medical practitioners with blunt factual knowledge, complicated vocabularies, and sterile conversations- not with creativity and self-expression. However, after reading, I am inspired by the use of graphic medicine and its potential to positively impact both practitioners and patients. In my sphere of self-expression, I have always shied away from drawing, simply because I thought I wasn’t good at it. This reading has sparked my interest in trying the medium, particularly because of this quote on page 148: ” What you draw is an invaluable and unique representation of how you saw at that moment in that place according to your abilities. That’s all we want. We already know what a dog really looks like.” It seems so obvious when explained in that way, but it feels incredibly validating. My art matters! Even if I think it looks terrible!
Also of interest to me was the chapter written by Susan Merrill Squier, which discussed the many ways that graphic medicine can be utilized to engage students. The chapter discussed how graphic medicine can encourage scholarship around important topics, from disabilities to sexuality. Her description of graphic medicine reminded me of zines- small, homemade magazines created about a specialized subject matter. For one, zines often contain comics. However, I mostly feel the connection because of the accessibility of the medium, as well as the personal nature of the medium. This has inspired me to think more about ways that I could utilize graphic medicine in my own work, specifically as an activity in the men and masculinities curriculum that I am planning on creating for my ILE.
This week’s reading centered around graphic medicine and using comic books as a way to navigate medical instruction and experiences. I had never heard of graphic medicine before, and I became fascinated by the juxtaposition of two fields. On one hand, there are comics/graphic novels which in my mind are more playful and creative. On the other hand is medicine, which is a traditionally stoic discipline. Combining these two was not something I had ever considered a viable option.
I found the idea of patients using the medium of comics to express their own views of their illness/diagnosis to be very interesting. We have been discussing narratives as a means of exploring illness in this course, but not all people feel they can express themselves with words. Sometimes, a visual medium such as a comic might help a patient elucidate their own feelings about their health.
As I was reading these chapters, I was reminded of a possible example of graphic medicine that relates to the field of audiology. In undergrad, I read a memoir about a woman who became deaf in childhood called El Deafo. El Deafo is a graphic novel memoir which explained the author’s hearing loss as well as her experiences using assistive technology in the educational setting. However, she depicted herself and others as bunnies, and reimagined herself as a superhero with the superpower of using a Phonic Ear.
It was clear when reading that this was a deeply personal story, which was given power through this graphic medium and narrative. When reading this week’s chapters, I began to consider the power that expressing this narrative through graphic novel must have instilled in the author of El Deafo when considering her own story. I also considered how it might be a powerful tool to allow others engage in their own health in a fun and approachable way, whether it be through creation of their own graphic memoir or through reading about others.
After all, comics are meant to be digestible and easily understood, and approaching difficult health situations – like deafness, for example – might be better understood when examined through such a medium.
As I was reading the introduction to this week’s reading, I was immediately drawn into the idea of using comics when I realized how they can apply to many different fields. I thought it was really interesting how two professors teaching completely different subjects could both use the same method to get their point across. It made me realize how useful using graphics can be in healthcare, since the audience can be so broad and consist of people of all ages. As an undergrad, I remember talking about how the average reading level in the United States is pretty low. Graphic medicine can help spread information in another way, besides for using just text, which could be beneficial for audience members who might not understand all the health terms that are used in health-related announcements. This type of media can also allow all age groups to understand the information being presented.
I also liked the way the manifesto was set up, so we were introduced to the contributors in pairs. Each pair had very different people in it, but they all came together with one common interest and idea. I thought this really represented how interdisciplinary graphic medicine can be. I also really liked the idea of letting patients draw out their diagnosis. This made me think about my own experiences being sick or being around sick family members. I think being able to draw out what I am experiencing could be a helpful tool for myself as a patient, but could also be helpful for doctors to truly understand what the patient is experiencing. I can relate this back to audiology because many patients have strong emotions about their hearing loss but they try to hide them. If patients were asked to draw out how they were feeling, it might give us a guide on how to counsel them.
Like Scott Smith, I also did not originally think that comics fit into the academic world. After taking this class, I am realizing that there are many creative ways to spread information other than just presenting text. This inspires me to use other methods to present and receive information from my future patients. Susan Merrill Squier also mentions how comics can help with discussing serious medical issues, which I thought related to my thoughts about being able to reach all audiences. I think the part about disability studies was also interesting as a future audiologist because I really liked that it can frame disabilities as an experience. This also goes back to my earlier thought that comics can help audiology patients better understand their hearing loss.
Finally, I thought the comic called “I love my new feet†was a great example of a way that comics can be extremely helpful in the medical field. This image is simple but provides very important information, which is easy to understand and read. This is something that could easily be used in an audiology clinic to describe hearing aids and other helpful devices. These images can be used with patients, but I think they could be especially helpful for friends and family of the patient. This could put less pressure on the patient to try to explain their diagnosis and help the patient better understand how their devices work. Overall, I think graphic medicine could be very useful as a future audiologist.
Graphic Medicine is something I was not familiar with. The reading defined graphic medicine is a combination of narrative medicine and the use of comic art. A quote that I really liked was, “Graphic medicine is also a movement for change that challenges the dominant methods of scholarship in healthcare, offering a more inclusive perspective of medicine, illness, disability, caregiving and being cared for.†I think this quote is very important because medicine has always been seen as something so strict, rigid and scientific but this quote and graphic medicine shows the other side of medicine and healthcare. It shows how complex it is and how it can be explored and explained in many ways. It is interesting to see how many shut out and marginalized voices can be heard through comics in graphic medicine.
I remember reading comics with my older brother so this concept was very interesting to read about and was visually appealing and easy to follow. I think that what the reading said about comics and graphic novels allowing you to grasp complex ideas was true because in the comic they had the man holding the book Maus which I have read before, so that was cool!
I think that use of graphic medicine is very useful and that people should accept it in academia. Graphic medicine is visually appealing and informative, I think this could help engage many people. More people could find ways to use visual art such as comics to reflect, explore and bring insight to medicine and healthcare. I love using art to express myself even though I may not be great at it. I remember writing a comic in elementary school about a young girl who loved animals and would be able to talk to them in the comic. Reading this brought back many memories since I have not kept up with comics and also showed how I could learn from comics in graphic medicine or even use graphic medicine in my own work. I would love to learn more about it.
I never read comics as a kid and they were not popular among my peers so the idea of using comics to teach medicine is something, I couldn’t wrap my head around at first. Medical school has a reputation of obviously being extremely rigorous and high pressure. I would imagine that medical students are not often given a chance to be creative, which can be a real disservice to the students. Creativity would allow a break from the traditional, structured atmosphere of medical school and give them a chance to exercise part of the brain they normal cannot. I also think comics are coming back in popularity, my mom is an elementary school librarian and she’s always saying how the students love graphic novels. Since they are becoming popular again the future doctors of the world will already have been exposed to them and would more easily adjust to using them to learn medicine.
I also like the idea of using comics to explain disease and illness to patients. Health literacy is always a main concern when creating health material for patients. Using comics as a way to disseminate information to patients would ensure almost all would be able to understand it, with the minimal words and detailed illustrations. I could also see this being an effective way to explain illness to children. Usually the doctor will explain the diagnosis to the parent and then the parent has to figure out how to put it into language that the child will understand. I’m sure that puts stress on the parent but also leaves the kid with not fully understanding the situation. If there was a comic they could follow along with or see a character they relate to, they might have an easier time understanding their illness. I feel like graphic medicine would give the same benefits to people who are artistic as narrative medicine does for those who enjoy writing.
The first thing I thought about was a comic I read in middle school about a young mother of her first child who had autism. This comic was called “with the light” and painted an in-depth, emotional narrative of the challenges and rewards accompanied with rearing a child with autism. I remember being so moved by this illustration I cried and it contributes to my understanding and empathy of the autism spectrum today. This comic did a beautiful job of integrating abstract information with easy to understand yet still holistic personal experience. The use of both pictures and words in comic form provided a unique outlet for this information to be communicated.
I particularly like the third narrative the Aids nurse used to describe coping with a major professional event. The concept that we should all be considered artists and not stop our creative pursuits in the fourth grade is something I really appreciate. Where writing is considered a common past time for people who are not “writers” creating art is some how reserved for the talented.
Comics as a medium have a potential to reach otherwise unreachable patients with medical information by making it both accessible and interesting. In my professional experience I see an opportunity for the integration of comics to illustrate complicated diagnosis in simple and safe ways. In nursing school I created a comic to describe the pathophysiology of diabetes within the pancreas. The exercise of creating this comic greatly increased my understanding and ability to articulate this confusing concept. This speaks to the benefit of creating comics for medical professionals. If they can draw an easy to understand version of a complicated concept how much more can they explain this high level knowledge to a variety of patients at different education levels.
This week’s reading focused on how graphics can be used to convey messages in health and medicine. I knew a little about graphic medicine when I worked at Boston Children’s Hospital with patients who had Type 1 Diabetes. There were animations that showed children in an easy and digestible way about what was happening to their body, what insulin did and the importance of checking one’s blood sugar levels. Not only was this helpful for children, but it also made it more comprehensible for their parents or caretakers especially since it helps with health literacy. Graphic medicine also is more engaging and more pleasing to read and follow than a pamphlet of instructions with difficult medical terminology. This reading showed me a more in-depth explanation of graphic medicine and the various ways it has been used.
Growing up, I was not really into comic books but I know some people were really into them and the Japanese version, Manga. I do see how graphic novels are a great way to tell a story.
I found this week’s topic of graphic medicine to be particularly fascinating. As an aspiring health care professional, the idea of interdisciplinary work is something that is not new to me. Typically, though, we think of interdisciplinary work as being an audiologist and having to communicate and work closely alongside with speech pathologists, physicians, physical therapists, and other health care professionals to create a rehabilitation plan for a patient. While all of these providers have different backgrounds of knowledge to bring a different set of skills to the table, they are all healthcare professionals. The idea of interdisciplinary work between the medical field and graphic art is so fascinating to me because it is something I would ever have previously considered.
Using graphic novels in the health care field is absolutely something that can make medicine more inclusive. I love the concept of opening the discipline up to those for which the technical terminology that is often associated with medicine is too complicated for or unavailable to. While examining this week’s readings, which included a handful of examples of graphic novels related to medicine, I couldn’t help but consider how this method could be useful in the field of audiology which I study.
An audiologist deals with patients ranging from newborns to very elderly. In that age range are obviously varying education levels, life experience, and understanding of complicated health terminology. I could imagine graphic novels being extremely helpful for teaching patients how to use and maintain hearing aids, dealing with difficult communication environments, adjusting to life after cochlear implantation, and plenty of other situations that an audiologist might specialize in. Having a graphic novel as a resource to take home, especially for children or very elderly patients who sometimes have difficulty taking home and implementing the information you verbalize to them, would be fantastic. Typically, brochures created by hearing aid manufacturers are given to a patient, but this might not be clear enough for everyone. I am not aware of any graphic novels related to audiology that exists, but I can imagine it being useful for both the patient and provider.
This week’s readings helped me to think about comics in a different light. It made me confront the fact that when I think about comics I tend to think about only the mainstream superhero comics or some of the popular newspaper comics. Growing up I would sometimes read the comics in the newspaper or read some of my younger brother’s Tintin or Asterix books, but I was never particularly drawn to comics. Now I am thinking about spending some time over the break trying to find comic books that I enjoy.
I particularly like how these authors present graphic medicine as inherently interdisciplinary and inclusive. By picking a creative medium to explore experiences with diseases, they quickly make their scholarship more accessible to the general public and invite others to try to create their own comic to describe their story related to an illness. This challenge to the dominant forms of scholarship is refreshing. It also provides a more inclusive way for people to express how they feel while dealing with a particular illness or disability. I am interested in exploring this idea further and thinking about how it could be applied to exploring patient experiences with tick-borne diseases.
It was really interesting to read through the Graphic Medicine Manifesto. It was definitely a nice change compared to a lot of the other readings. I liked seeing the authors reflect on their relationship with comic books and graphic novels, and how that passion brought them all together to create this book. It was also nice to see stories being told from the patient perspective and the medical professional perspective. I was able to empathize with both narrators. Graphic novels can be a great way to engage the reader by giving them illustrations to go along with the message that the book is trying to address. We have addressed a similar concept this semester when talking about our digital stories. Images help bring stories to life and can make them even more meaningful. As I was reading through the book, it also made me think about what it would be like to have a graphic novel that talked about the US health care system and taught the reader how to understand it. It is such a broad and dense topic, and I think having this kind of book would help people get a better grasp of what it is all about. I think it could be really helpful for teens, young adults, and even older individuals as well.