Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Hosts Graphic Medicine Summit to Advance Visual Storytelling in Healthcare

Why Visual Storytelling Matters in Modern Healthcare

In an era of rapid information exchange, patients and clinicians alike face a flood of medical data. Plain text explanations often fall short of conveying the lived experience of illness, the emotional context of treatment, or the nuanced steps of a procedure. Visual storytelling—commonly known as graphic medicine—fills that gap by translating complex concepts into accessible, empathetic images. Recent studies show that patients who view illustrated explanations retain information up to 75% longer than those who receive only written material.

Highlights from the New England Graphic Medicine Summit

The New England Graphic Medicine Summit, co-hosted by Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS) and Harvard Medical School’s Countway Library, brought nearly 200 attendees together on October 24. Held in the Richard E. Griffin Academic Center, the summit mixed live panels, lightning talks, and exhibits that showcased how comics and zines can humanize medicine.

Key Presentations and Themes

One of the most compelling sessions featured former Army medic Michael Anthony, whose graphic memoir Just Another Meat‑Eating Dirtbag chronicles his transition from soldier to civilian. His presentation illustrated how graphic narrative can confront traumatic memories in a way that prose alone cannot.

Artist Annika Mengwall, a Yale pre‑med student, demonstrated her comics designed to help physicians discuss the HPV vaccine and lung cancer screenings. By personifying a virus particle and breaking down medical jargon into familiar analogies, her visuals served as handouts that improved patient comprehension and encouraged vaccine uptake in pediatric otolaryngology clinics.

Historian Ellen Amster explored the colonial roots of Western medicine using comics that highlighted racial and gender disparities still evident today. Her talk, titled “20,000 Leagues Under the Hospital,” underscored how visual storytelling can serve as a tool for uncovering hidden histories that textbooks often omit.

Other presenters, such as Scarlett Shiloh and Ellen Grabiner, turned personal narratives into comic form to discuss topics ranging from “pre‑vulnerability” in cancer risk to the emotionally charged journey of building a family after a diagnosis of infertility.

How MCPHS Integrates Graphic Medicine into Curriculum

For years, MCPHS has supported health humanities, and the summit is a testament to that commitment. Associate Professor A. David Lewis emphasized the university’s strategy of “incubation,” using events like this summit to catalyze deeper research and collaboration across departments. The Center for Health Humanities and MCPHS’s robust Graphic Medicine collection provide students with a ready resource pool.

Students in MCPHS’s pharmaceutical, nursing, and health science programs can now incorporate graphic narratives into patient education modules. Faculty members from the School of Arts and Sciences and the Massachusetts College of Art and Design collaborate on interdisciplinary workshops, encouraging students to critique and create comics that address everyday clinical scenarios.

Practical Ways to Apply Visual Storytelling in Patient Care

1. Patient Decision Aids
Replace dense consent forms with succinct comic strips that illustrate treatment options, risks, and expected outcomes. Studies have shown that these aids reduce patient anxiety and improve decisional quality.

2. Staff Training Materials
Create scenario-based comics that depict infection control protocols or patient interaction best practices. Visuals help new staff members quickly grasp procedural nuances.

3. Community Outreach
Distribute illustrated brochures during health fairs that explain preventive measures in a culturally relevant manner. This approach has been effective in increasing vaccination rates in underserved communities.

4. Research Communication
Use comic panels to summarize study findings for non‑technical audiences, widening the impact of academic work and fostering public engagement.

Getting Involved: Opportunities at MCPHS

Students, faculty, and alumni interested in visual storytelling can engage through several avenues:

• Join the Graphic Medicine Student Society or volunteer to help curate the MCA’s Comic Collection.
• Apply for the Health Humanities Fellowship, funded by MCPHS and partner institutions.
• Participate in the annual Hospice Illustrations Workshop, where students produce comics depicting end‑of‑life care narratives.
• Submit proposals for interdisciplinary research grants that explore the impact of visual narratives on patient outcomes.

These opportunities not only enhance clinical communication skills but also strengthen the sense of community within the broader health sciences ecosystem.

Next Steps for Aspiring Participants

For those interested in joining MCPHS’s ongoing efforts to integrate graphic medicine, there are several immediate actions you can take:

• Submit your application today to explore graduate programs that emphasize health humanities.
• Schedule a campus visit to see the state‑of‑the‑art facilities and meet faculty champions of visual storytelling.
• Write to us with questions about courses that incorporate comics into patient education.
• Share your own medical comics on our community forum to connect with peers.
• Click here to subscribe to our newsletter and stay informed about the next summit and related events.

By taking any of these steps, you’ll position yourself at the intersection of visual arts and health care, equipping you with a powerful tool to improve patient engagement and education.

Conclusion

The New England Graphic Medicine Summit underscored the growing importance of visual storytelling in healthcare communication. Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, through its collaborative partnership with Harvard and the health humanities community, has positioned itself as a leader in this emerging field. Whether you’re a clinician seeking to improve patient comprehension or an artist eager to apply your craft to health education, the summit’s insights and next‑generation resources offer a clear path forward.

Engage with MCPHS’s programs, explore the transformative potential of graphic medicine, and become part of a movement that brings humanity back to health care through the power of images.