Synapses Magazine
The Synapses Art and Literary Magazine is a project through the Department of Neurology at West Virginia University. It is supported by the Back to Bedside Initiative through the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). The Back to Bedside Initiative is awarded to groups of residents throughout the country to encourage the development of innovative project ideas that will foster a connection between themselves and their patients. The goal of the Synapses magazine is to promote humanities amongst patients and residents through the use of artistic expression. Residents deal with burnout, stressful situations, and emotionally draining experiences, often without an outlet to express these experiences. Likewise, the patient experience in the hospital can be frightening and intimidating and a variety of chronic illnesses can also have longstanding impacts on patient quality of life. This goal of this magazine is to showcase the artistic expression of both patients and medical providers, and ultimately allow for a meaningful way to reflect on their experiences. Just as synapses promote connections in the neurologic system, we hope the Synapses magazine will promote connections between patients and their providers.
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