Comic Fundamentals in CME/CHEP
Alexandra Howson PhD, CHCP, FACEhp, E-RYT
Author of the WriteCME Roadmap | I help medical writers launch and grow a sustainable CME writing business with the ROADMAP framework
Did you read comics when you were a kid?
The Beano—the longest-running weekly comic for kids in the world—was a staple of my childhood. Published by D.C. Thomson in Dundee, Scotland, the Beano was jammed with seriously iconic artwork and tales from Dennis the Menace, Gnasher the dog, Minnie the Minx, Roger the Dodger, and more.
These comic/comical kids were mischievous, energetic, and funny. They were always breaking rules and pushing back at adult authority.
They had agency. And what kid doesn’t want that?
Of course, comics aren’t just for kids. Maybe you’re still a comic reader. If so, you’re not alone. About 2% of adults in the US read comics every day.
Comics in Patient and Professional Education
Comics have been around in the US since at least the late 19th century and have been a standard feature of American culture since the 1930s.
It turns out that comics occupy a richly textured place in the history of medicine as:
- Public health education tools in the 1940s
- Health activism vehicles in the HIV/AIDS pandemic, and as
- Chroniclers of COVID-19 pandemic narrative.
And, as a Write Medicine community member noted in a recent discussion, comics are increasingly used as an effective tool for adult patient education to share first-person experiences of illness or present health and medical information in an instructional, “how-to” format.
Comics are also used to educate health professionals. For instance, Michael Green MD, vice chair of the department of humanities and director of the program in bioethics at Penn State, teaches Comics in Medicine. The course is designed to explore how comics and graphic novels are used in storytelling about the illness experience and as a creative tool to help medical students process the experience of being in medical school. (I’ve used visual practices myself as a teaching and learning tool for sociology undergraduates).
Comics as a Novel Format for CME/CEHP
Comics represent a type of visual thinking or visual narrative, which we've explored a wee bit on the Write Medicine podcast. They are thought to work because the text is relatively succinct and the interplay of words and pictures engages both right- and left-brain thinking, mobilizing both semantic and narrative processing. At the same time, unique, relatable characters simplify complex medical concepts and make them more accessible and memorable to readers.
Comics are also gaining traction as communication, reflection, and storytelling tools in undergraduate and graduate medical education. And given the emphasis that the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education places on developing novel formats for continuing medical education/continuing education for health professionals (CME/CEHP), like animation for instance, comics as novel formats are of interest to medical writers working in this field.
But when medical writers enter the field of CME/CEHP they often see needs assessments as the main format for developing content.
They’re not wrong. It’s a common deliverable that many education providers include in grant proposals.
But there are so many more formats and deliverables that writers can contribute to in CME/CEHP.
And, of course, comics.
Resources
- The Graphic Medicine International Collective maintains an archive of comics and graphic novels that tackle health issues all around the world.
- Theresa Maatman, Michael J. Green, and Matthew N. Noe suggest several ways that comics can be used in graduate medical education, which could also apply to CME/CEHP activities:
- Foster self-expression, personal reflection, and communication
- Encourage participants to share their experiences, emotions, and ideas via image vs in text
- Gather feedback and debrief
- Enhance an existing journal club
3. Several journals often feature comics, including Annals of Internal Medicine, AMA Journal of Ethics, and Graphic Medicine Review.
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What a great read! I have a comic book called The Crisis Saga which is about the link between blood donation and sickle cell disease - it’s available on Amazon. I would absolutely love your feedback.
Director, US Independent Medical Education - Type 1 Diabetes, Sanofi
2 年Nice article, Alex. Thanks for sharing.
Medical Writer | Transforming complex medical knowledge into clear and compelling language
2 年I'm fascinated by comics. I taught a class on comics and other combinations of text and images when I was a grad student at Emory. My students loved The Photographer by Didier Lefèvre, about his time traveling with Doctors Without Borders in Afghanistan during the Soviet-Afghan War. Comics are so helpful for breaking down complex topics. I can definitely see a place for them in CME and other forms of medical communication. Thanks for sharing. Now I'm browsing Graphic Medicine and I want to read everything!
Learning & Development Consultant - I help your employees become more efficient, productive, and knowledgeable by uncovering skill gaps, and designing and developing innovative learning experiences.
2 年As a format comics really do fill in a space that’s not covered by others & more casual than videos.
Thank you for the article. I wonder how comics could play a role into plain language summaries for children.... you have my wheels turning :)