Field Center Community Symposium
Focuses on Skills of Perception

The Field Center held its Winter Community Symposium on March 3, 2009. Amy Herman, Director of Education Development at Thirteen/WNET in New York, presented a well-received program on The Art of Perception: Rethinking What We See. Utilizing art and photography, Ms. Herman engaged a roomful of professionals in an interactive process to challenge and enhance their skills of observation.

Based on a successful collaboration between the Yale Center for British Art and Yale Medical School, Amy Herman developed The Art of Perception with the mission of making medical students better observers of their patients by teaching them how to look at art. Underlying her program was the rationale that a vital part of physicians’ diagnostic skill depends on an ability to observe and describe visual information and yet these skills are rarely taught. The Art of Perception has expanded to seven medical institutions, and Ms. Herman has adapted the program to train law enforcement professionals to help them not only solve crimes but also enhance their perception and communication skills. She has conducted professional training sessions for the New York City Police Department, the FBI, the Secret Service, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of Justice, and for school nurses, guidance counselors, drug counselors, and social workers to enhance their observation skills when working with families and children.

Participants in the Community Symposium were universally enthusiastic about the session. Attendees described it as a “wonderful presentation and great style of presenting,” “interesting and relevant topic,” and “interestingly presented with real attention to making points about application.” The Field Center was pleased to offer this critical session that clearly met the needs of the professional community. As one participant stated, “I think my staff and I will be able to become stronger clinicians because of it.”