Medicine Needs Poetry: Reimagining Healthcare, Healing & Human Connection

Poetry is one of humankind's oldest forms of expression. Expressive writing is an evidence-based strategy for reducing burnout among healthcare workers, and more broadly for making meaning of experiences that are complex, uncertain, and difficult to name. This interdisciplinary workshop explores poetry as a modality for improving individual health, care systems, and healing, and explores how poetry invites reflection, deepens attention, and nurtures consideration of the full human experience within healthcare. Lead by Janna Lopez, MFA, Creighton University School of Medicine's Poet in Residence, this workshop will ask participants to consider how poetic expression can support personal well-being, strengthen relationships between patients and caregivers, and contribute to more reflective, compassionate, and human-centered cultures of care. Participants will be introduced to Poetic Intelligence as a framework for cultivating powers of observation, curiosity, expression, self-compassion, and meaning-making.  Everyone is encouraged to attend - no prior creative writing or poetry experience is required. 

Janna Lopez, MFA, is the inaugural Poet-in-Residence at Creighton University School of Medicine, and the first to hold such a position in the US.  She works with students, healthcare professionals, educators, and healthcare teams to make poetry accessible as a tool for navigating complex human experiences. She is the author of Medicine Needs Poetry: An Open Invitation to Cultivate More Self-Care & Compassion Through Words. An award-winning writer, educator, and speaker, Lopez previously served as a Santa Fe Poet Laureate. Her work advocates for the humanities as an essential component of health, education, and human connection.