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This paper addresses a growing concern within the medical humanities community regarding the perceived need for a more empathically-focused medical curricula, and advocates for the use of creative pedagogical forms as a means to attend to issues of suffering and relationality. Drawing from the ethical philosophy of Emmanuel Levinas, I critique the notion of empathy on the basis that it erases difference and disregards otherness. Rather, I propose that the concept of empathy may be usefully replaced with that of ethical responsibility, which suggests a shared sense of humanity outside the boundaries of presumed knowledge of the other. To illustrate this argument, I theorize the importance of theater within medical education. Theater, I argue, may engender ethical responsibility in the Levinasian sense, and thus may allow learners to differently engage with the experience of the suffering other. As such, I examine Margaret Edson's widely used play Wit as a platform for such an ethical encounter to occur. Thus, rather than working to understand the value of theater in medical education in terms of knowledge and skill acquisition, I theorize that its primacy within medical curricula arises from its ethical/relational potential, or potential to engender new forms of inter-human relationality.

Children with additional needs (CwAN) face barriers when accessing resources such as summer camps due to limited program accessibility. Full-day camps are a form of respite care for primary caregivers, while also providing a sense of independence for children. The arts are known to offer psychological benefits when explored in a creative and inclusive environment. This article describes a creative arts camp for CwAN from the perspective of two camp counselors and eight primary caregivers of CwAN. The camp details are described, from counselor training to the final performance at the end of the camp week. Caregivers felt that this camp structure allowed their CwAN to gain worth-while experiences in dance, drama, music, and visual arts. It also allowed them to feel a sense of safety and belonging by spending time with other CwAN and supportive camp counselors and volunteers. There are many strengths of this camp structure that can be applied to other camps in other settings. Program planners and community organizations should consider incorporating the creative arts into existing and developing programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information about an international conference sponsored by various institutions including the University of Western Ontario, the Office of Interprofessional Health Education and Research (OIPHER), and the Fanshawe College School of Nursing on the need for reflection regarding health and social care is presented. Topics include health professional education, reflective practice, and dialogism. The conference featured several experts including Arthur Frank, Jeff Nisker, and Stephen Kemmis.

Copyright of Research in Drama Education is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

jonas-simpson c., mitchell g.j., carson j., whyte c., dupuis s. & gillies j. (2012) Phenomenological shifts for healthcare professionals after experiencing a research-based drama on living with dementia. Journal of Advanced Nursing 68(9), 1944-1955. Abstract Aim. The aim of this article is to report research findings describing phenomenological shifts, that is, changes in patterns of lived experience, for healthcare professionals who attended a performance of a research-based drama, called I'm Still Here. Background. The research drama, based on six studies, was created to help change the ways persons understand, think about and relate with persons living with dementia. Methods. In 2006-2007, 50 healthcare professionals from various disciplines and eight nursing students participated in this study. Participants were recruited from four Canadian cities in the province of Ontario where focus groups were held before and after engaging in a live performance of I'm Still Here. Findings. Analysis of focus group transcripts showed shifts in patterns of lived experience for the healthcare professional participants as evident in the participants' descriptions. The phenomenological shifts reflected a move from descriptions of 'diminishing humanness to discerning humanness', from 'disengaged care/mundane relating to reflexive relating in the now', and 'terrifying portrayals of loss to awakening to hopeful possibility'. The shifts described herein are supported with examples from the focus group transcripts. Conclusions. Findings reveal the power of drama as a vibrant and meaningful means of shifting understandings, images and intended actions of healthcare professions which have the potential to affect the lived experiences, relationships and quality of life of persons with dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Standing Ovation describes the development of a theatrical performance about people with metasticized breast cancer, which was developed for hospital personnel, cancer patients, their family members, and the public. The authors, members of a research team based at Toronto Sunnybrook Regional Cancer Centre, were joined by actors who either came from an actor's studio or who were patients or activists in the breast cancer community. The goal was to create a drama based on focus group material collected around the question of what information should be given to metastasized breast cancer patients, and from interviews with oncologists. The book is accompanied by a video-tape of the performance. Thus, one is able to see the outcome of the ethnographic studies and artistic endeavors that are described in the book. The book and videotape are unique contributions to the literature on relations with patients who have very serious diseases. The hopeful, yet reasonable, perspective on this difficult situation is very well presented in the book and videotape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]