Art and music have long been intertwined with medicine and science, offering not only creative expression but also serving as components of healing. Whether during challenging or peaceful times, art and music have been steadfast tools at the bedside of the sick since our earliest origins. In Greek mythology, Apollo is associated with both music and healing, and ancient stories illustrate physicians using instruments like the lyre to treat patients. Indigenous communities also used art and music to create harmony in those who were sick, which they believed helped heal.
Research has long shown that music and art are therapeutic. Now, in our modern medical spaces, forms of art and music still have a role in clinical settings. No matter what is going on in our world, they have the power to uplift and enhance the patient experience and offer improvements in well-being to patients and their families.
For me personally, music has always been a part of my journey. I learned to play the Indian classical violin in childhood, which was inspired by my mother’s love for music. It has greatly contributed to my lifelong appreciation for classical music. Several of our clinical and research faculty have similar stories, such as playing classical instruments, double majoring in music and medicine in undergraduate school, and playing in local bands.
At UAB, we believe both musical and visual arts can transform environments into more comforting, familiar spaces that encourage relaxation and reduce stress. One way we do this is through our partnership with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra (ASO), which sends members of their orchestra to play in Kirklin Clinic multiple times a year with special dates around the holidays. Also, the Health Professionals for the Alabama Symphony Orchestra is a group of medical professionals who believe in the power of music and medicine. This group seeks to preserve the orchestra for future generations while building our communities’ artistic and economic viability. Herb Chen, M.D., senior associate dean for Academic Affairs and chair of the Department of Surgery, chairs this professional giving society. The Alabama Symphony Orchestra is the state’s only full-time orchestra, passionately pushing the boundaries of music through concert, education, and creativity. The group strives to increase awareness of the educational, economic, and creative benefits of the ASO to the medical community. Music can tap into our neural pathways and evoke memories and emotions, fostering a sense of peace and connection.
In the same way, art has the power to transform physical and mental health. Incorporating art in medical spaces revitalizes sterile environments into more comforting places that encourage relaxation and reduce stress. The new UAB Medical West building was designed with this concept in mind, centering the spaces around local nature through art. Each of the nine floors is designed around a theme of native flora, such as the Cahaba Lily on Level One or Azaleas on Level Three. Each floor is accompanied by artistic renderings of its assigned element throughout the floor.
UAB Medicine also works with partners inside the enterprise that contribute to the healing power of art and music in medicine: the UAB Arts in Medicine program, which began in 2013. The program seeks to enhance the healing process through a creative arts experience for patients, their families, and staff. It offers services such as painting and coloring, expressive writing and poetry, storytelling, meditation, and more.
Decades of research support the healing qualities of art and music in medical settings, demonstrating positive impacts on patient recovery and mental health. Studies show that patients exposed to music and art therapy often experience reduced stress levels, lower levels of perceived pain, improved mood, increased confidence, and faster recovery times. Likewise, health care staff who engage in music and art activities may feel similar effects that help mitigate burnout and stress.
The integration of these expressive forms into medical spaces contributes to a culture of care at UAB. I am proud of the ways we lean into music and art services for advanced comfort, empathy, and emotional support alongside physical treatment.
