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Table 4 Summary of qualitative themes: benefits of arts-making workshop (as recorded in reflective essays)

From: Art-making in a family medicine clerkship: how does it affect medical student empathy?

Theme

Sub-Theme

Example

Number of participants

Reflection

 

“reflecting on our own experience and express it”

4

“Humanistic side”

 

“medical students are deprived of opportunities of developing their artistic or humanistic side, and such a chance would help them realize they are not robots.”

4

Clarity

revise previous ideas

“a great opportunity to revise the scenario in our mind (visual thinking) and get to know the perception of feelings in that scenario.”

2

 

new understanding

“Many of us, shocked and reluctant at first, eventually had drawn various pieces of artworks that told their own stories… also helped us to learn more on the emotions and pain that patient suffered from.”

5

“Enlightening”

 

“enlightened us”

3

Relaxing

 

“chance to escape from the highly-intensive lessons and relax a bit”

5

Develop creativity and imagination

 

“It encouraged a completely different and unique thinking process – through the use of art and creative thinking”

2