In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:

CREATIVITY IN MEDICINE—A FACULTY PERSPECTIVE FRANK C. WILSON* The importance of creativity in any field is obvious. It is also clear that much of the responsibility for creating new medical knowledge rests with faculties of medicine, who, in addition to their own contributions, must play a major role in nurturing the creative potential of future physicians. Therefore, in approaching the subject of creativity in medicine my perspective is that of a concerned faculty member. I hope to justify the relevance of my remarks on four premises: first, the importance of creation in supplying a natural order for man-made disarray; second, that some capacity for creation exists in everyone. Whether the product of that creativity affects one or many lives is determined by individual genotype, and the extent to which this genetic uniqueness is altered by outside influences; third, that the educational process contains many impediments to creative expression, some of which are correctable ; and, fourth, that the enhancement of creative potential is not only possible but a necessary and proper function of a medical educator. Creativity has been variously interpreted. My use of the word is in the sense of bringing something new into existence by recognizing a relationship between previously unassociated elements. Implicit in this definition are a product and the notion that human creation results not ex nihilo but from the use of existing material in unusual ways. Creativity may be further described by the traits most often associated with it. Creative individuals are more likely to be curious, sensitive, and persistent and to possess the capacity for intense concentration, a high tolerance for ambiguity, and the faculty for divergent thought. Divergent thinking, which enables one to perceive similarities among previously dissimilar elements, is more critical to the creative process than convergent thought, which depends on recall and application of learned»Professor, Division of Orthopaedics, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514.© 1986 by The University of Chicago. All rights reserved. 0031-5982/86/2902-0481$01.00 310 I Frank C. Wilson ¦ Creativity in Medicine material. An aptitude for convergent thinking and high intelligence are frequently associated; however, above an IQ of 120, intelligence has not been shown to be related to creativity [1, pp. 201-221]. Further shape may be given to the concept of creativity by understanding what it is not. For example, the simple enumeration of facts increases our knowledge but produces no remarkable insight or novel design. Patience, precision, and even daring are required to count the number of quills on a porcupine, but nothing new has resulted. Nor is the simple act of discovery creation. Finding an apple that has fallen from a tree is not creative; but by connecting the forces that caused the apple to fall with those "requisite to keep the moon in its orb," Newton made an inductive leap that is the essence of creativity [2]. Finally, it is important to distinguish creation from interpretation. While the renowned actor may receive more acclaim than the author of a play, it is the latter who created the piece in which the actor performs— however skillfully. Creativity has both vertical and horizontal dimensions. The vertical plane encompasses the levels of creativity, ranging from simple expressive originality to complex forms of abstraction. Expressive creativity may be verbal or physical, a clever phrase or a unique dance movement, with the product assuming only minor importance. Abstraction leads to a new principle or law of nature, with the product having major significance. Between the expressive and abstract levels is innovation, wherein the application of known principles, technology, or information provides a better way of doing something, of controlling the world around us. The horizontal dimension embraces the types of creativity. Although the urge to create is largely independent of professional training, creation in artistic fields differs from that in science by having a smaller canon of technology and fact between the creative spark and its expression . Thus, artistic creation is less influenced by conscious thought than scientific discovery, although the flash of illumination that springs from unconscious thought occurs in both. The "Eureka!" of Archimedes as he stepped into the bathtub resulted from a sudden association...

pdf

Share