April 2007

Introduction - by Beverley Kane, MD

I am a physician and horsewoman and the instructor for Medicine and Horses. Please visit the website for my practice, Horsensei Equine Assisted Learning and THerapy (HEALTH), to learn more about me and about Medicine and Horses.

Welcome to HOOFPRINTS, the Medicine and Horses Blogspot

This blogspot will contain entries from students taking the medical school elective, "Medicine and Horses," as well as entries from me, the instructor. Medicine and Horses draws on the sensitivity and social dynamics of horses to teach nonverbal communication and other interpersonal skills that contribute to good bedside manner. In this way, we train and become physicians who are empathetic, sympathetic, and compassionate. These qualities make us better diagnosticians and healers, as well as better people.

Students taking M&H are required to publish at least one blog entry for each week of the four week class. Blog entries will describe their experiences with the course and the horses; any encounters with patients, colleagues, and others that are relevant to what we have learned; and of course any thoughts, associations, and questions that come to mind. Maybe someone will write a poem. I'd really like that.

Tomorrow is our first class. I am always excited to meet the new batch of students--whether medical, corporate, or community. My belief is that there is a certain kismet to who shows up--both people and horses. It's as if each person is fated to meet a particular horse and vice versa. Virtually every one who participates in equine experiential learning has one special encounter with a horse that he or she will never forget. Often, no one in the class forgets the encounter, it is so powerful! I still remember Bixby, the first horse I ever worked with in equine assisted learning. That's a story for another day.

This quarter we opened the class up to healthcare professionals. Tomorrow we are expecting 3 medical students, a resident, a fellow, a nurse, and a cardiologist. In the words of the recently late Kurt Vonnegut, we are all in eachother's karrass.