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Graphic Medicine

Librarian

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Lynly Beard
Contact:
lynly@uw.edu
University of Washington
Health Sciences Library
1959 NE Pacific St.
Box 357155
Seattle, WA 98195-7155
206 543-9267

The intersection of medicine and comics

Graphic Medicine is a relatively new field in literature, and is a great way to communicate facts, emotions and complex ideas to a wide audience, as noted in this article: Get a Grip! How Graphic Medicine is Changing the Landscape of Medical Care (2018). 

Graphic medicine is a term credited to Ian Williams, a British physician, highlighting its usefulness in healthcare communication. This emerging and evolving genre is an extension of narrative medicine, the telling of a story. Through the use of illustration and text, comics can be used for medical education, patient communication, and health literacy. Over the years, this area of medicine has been regarded more seriously with inter-professional and patient involvement. A number of health related comics and professional journal articles have resulted, putting Graphic Medicine on the map!