Graphic Medicine: Using Comics to Teach Empathy and Humanize Disease
Puertollano resident and pediatrician Alejandro Martínez is leading the way in the field of graphic medicine, a movement that aims to humanize the experience of illness and promote empathy through the power of comics.
Recently appointed as vice president of the Society of Graphic Medicine, Martínez believes that comics are a valuable teaching tool for both health professionals and patients. The graphic medicine movement was pioneered by English doctor Ian Williams in 2007 and has since gained international recognition.
In Spain, the movement was further bolstered by the efforts of doctor Mónica Lanlanda, who formed a multidisciplinary group of health professionals with a shared passion for comics and illustration. This group, which includes Alejandro Martínez, reviews comics focused on health issues and analyzes them from a healthcare perspective.
The term “graphic medicine” refers to the use of comics, graphic novels, and infographics as practical health communication tools. Despite initial prejudices against comics as a non-serious medium, renowned medical publications such as The Lancet and the British Medical Journal have acknowledged their usefulness.
In 2018, the Spanish graphic medicine team organized the first Spanish congress dedicated to the discipline, which has since grown into an annual event. The Society of Graphic Medicine has evolved from a cultural association to a scientific society, and now offers a master’s degree in graphic medicine through the International University of Andalusia (UNIA).
The UNIA master’s degree provides training for health professionals, sociologists, journalists, and graphic designers in the use of comics and graphic novels as tools for health dissemination. This initiative represents a significant step forward in the recognition and training of graphic medicine in Spain, offering an academic space to explore its potential in various professional fields.