The Medicine and Humanities Study Abroad program organized by the Miguel Hernández University of Elche (UMH) and University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) concluded this week by directly connecting both disciplines in a workshop on the Altea Campus of the UMH that was led by associate professor of fine arts, Amparo Alepuz. During the month of June, the UMH hosted students from the Texas university with help from coordinators, professors Melissa Wallace (UTSA) and Michelle Pinzl (Viterbo University). The faculty who participated in this study program offered cross-cutting teachings on the organization of Spanish public health, the importance of preventive medicine, hospital management, gastronomic culture associated with the Mediterranean diet, and finally, the connection between medicine and fine arts. This pioneering program at the UMH was coordinated by associate professor, José Luis González-Esteban, from the Vice Rectorate for Internationalization and Cooperation.

During this final workshop, the American students visited the installations of the UMH Altea Campus and undertook the most practical and enjoyable portion of the Medicine and Art module. Under guidance from professor Alepuz, they visited different art workshops, and in them, the students learned about artistic techniques practiced during each era. They also took part in an artistic exercise, modeled in a photography studio, and they edited the images that had been captured. This module highlighted the essence of fine arts, focusing on how art reflects and how art has reflected medicine, the human body, etc., throughout history. Their workshop concluded with a guided tour and lunch in the town of Altea.

During the last weekly and last program session, the UTSA students presented their final projects to the professor who accompanied them throughout their visit, Michelle Pinzl, who also reinforced aspects of Spanish language training within the health field. Deputy Vice Rector for Projection and International Communication at the UMH, José Luis González-Esteban, concluded the session and presented accrediting diplomas to the participating American students who benefitted from this program, which will continue again next summer.