The connection between medicine and art, specifically how the study of art history improves observational skills (and empathy) within those in the health science and medical fields. Medical Humanities is a growing field and taking an art history course such as MSSU's Medical Arts Observation course, and our Art and Anatomy course and trip, is a key element in the development of interpersonal skills within these young professionals. Ongoing research within my group of colleagues supports an emerging body of Medical Humanities research across the country, which has identified new ways of incorporating the medical humanities into medical/ health-based curriculums to tackle the long-standing problem of inequitable and underdeveloped observational skills from this humanist approach. These studies show that medical programs which have incorporated visual arts analysis into their curricula have vastly improved the clinical observational skills of their graduates. Common themes that have emerged show that thoughtful visual arts observation promotes improved clinical analysis and diagnostic skills; increased cultural sensitivity, and improved communication skills with patients. Overall, according to this research, medical students participating in the study gained increased levels of empathy for their patients, especially those from minority backgrounds after taking medical arts observation courses. This certainly aids in a greater sense of connectedness within communities across the country, but especially within our campus community through this interdisciplinary approach and our local community when our students begin working with patients across the region. Dr. Christine Bentley is Professor of Art and Gallery Director at Missouri Southern State University. She has a PhD from Indiana University-Bloomington and Masters of Arts degree in Art History from the University of Notre Dame. Her primary area of specialization is 19th and 20th century European art, specifically German modernism. She has minor areas of specializations in Islamic and Renaissance art. Her current research focuses on the relationship between medicine and art and preservation challenges within small university collections. She has been awarded numerous grants to conduct research abroad and presents regularly at national conferences. Her approach to teaching art history is based on her belief that art exists as part of a larger cultural, social and political environment which often shapes the responses people have to artwork and its use within these environments. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx