Since 1990, UF Health Shands Arts in Medicine (AIM) in Gainesville, FL has integrated visual arts, music, drama, and creative writing into clinical and community care, building models that support the health and wellbeing of people with a range of health conditions.
AIM services are tailored to the populations we serve. Those generally include:
- Patients currently admitted at UF Health hospitals
- The visitors and loved ones of current inpatients
- UF Health staff members
- Greater Gainesville and Alachua County communities, through community arts workshops and special events
Services for patients, their loved ones, & staff
Community Programming
While Arts in Medicine’s main focus has been on applying the arts to patient care, we are also dedicated to expanding our reach beyond the hospital walls. Other aspects of the program include:
- Education – coursework in arts in healthcare for degree-seeking students
- Research – partnering with clinicians to develop and implement quantitative studies that demonstrate the effects of arts in healthcare
- Collaborations – collaborating with community organizations and other hospital departments to bring the message of the arts and wellbeing to the larger community
Arts in Medicine practitioners are trained arts professionals operating within a nonclinical scope of practice; they do not treat mental health conditions, but instead facilitate artistic engagements that support creative expression, reduce stress, and foster connection.
Watch the video below to learn more about the way we serve within healthcare.