Patients know that being a good doctor isn’t simply a matter of medical knowledge. As patients, we want doctors who perceive the subtleties of our individual cases and recognize our pain. But how do you train med students to be perceptive and empathetic?

One answer is art. At least 70 medical schools and residency programs have created partnerships with art museums to help students sharpen their visual analysis skills and connect to the human experience.

At Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, residents go to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston for sessions on “Sharing Bad News” and “The Language of Empathy.” Other Epic community members with similar programs include University of Pittsburgh, The Ohio State University, and University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.

Read a full description of the programs here.