UAB Medical Students Explore Artistic Side

Photography, painting, poetry, music and jewelry highlight the UAB School of Medicine’s 2005 Student Art Show. The art show is presented by the Alabama chapter of Alpha Omega Alpha, the national honor society for medical schools, and the Alabama Museum of the Health Sciences. It runs from March 28 to June 30 in the museum on the third floor of the Lister Hill Library, 1700 University Boulevard. An awards ceremony and reception will be held at the museum from 3 to 5 p.m. on March 28 featuring remarks from Don Stewart, a local artist and graduate of the UAB School of Medicine.

April 4, 2005

BIRMINGHAM, AL — Photography, painting, poetry, music and jewelry highlight the UAB School of Medicine’s 2005 Student Art Show.

The art show is presented by the Alabama chapter of Alpha Omega Alpha, the national honor society for medical schools, and the Alabama Museum of the Health Sciences. It runs from March 28 to June 30 in the museum on the third floor of the Lister Hill Library, 1700 University Boulevard. An awards ceremony and reception will be held at the museum from 3 to 5 p.m. on March 28 featuring remarks from Don Stewart, a local artist and graduate of the UAB School of Medicine.

This is the fifth year for the show, which drew a record 62 entries. The entries were judged by a panel of UAB faculty and staff. The top three winners will receive cash prizes and all entries will be on display in the museum.

It is important to balance medical students’ scientific and medical education with exposure to the arts and humanities,” says Stephen R. Smith, Ph.D., director of student life for the medical school. “The physicians we train here must be able to interact on many different levels with their patients, and this art show provides a means for them to creatively explore and express their own humanity. We think this will help them to connect with all people on a basic human level.”

The winning entry is an book of photographs called “United”, by second year medical student Lorie Glover Dawson. Second place goes to “Columbia , AL”, a color photograph by first year student Michelle Downing. An untitled Polaroid transfer image by Dawson took third place.

The show added a new category for 2005 for written word submissions. The category drew ten entries, with two co-winners selected: “Neural Cartography”, by third year student Susan Duong and “A Hillside of Emperors” by Trey Lyles, a second year student.

Also receiving recognition as Juror’s Choice awards were second-year student Ashley D. Coleman’s black and white photograph, “Bowling Family Cemetery”; an untitled carved butternut by John Jennings, a third year medical student; and “Closed Shop Sidewalk”, an audiovisual concept by second year student George Atkinson.

The art submissions were judged by Brett Levine, director of the UAB Visual Arts Gallery; Stephen R. Smith, Ph.D., director of student life for the medical school. and Stefanie Rookis, curator of the Alabama Museum of the Health Sciences. Written word submissions were judged by Dr. Kathleen Nelson, associate dean for students at the medical school and Robert Collins, Ph.D., associate professor of arts and humanities.