East Michigan News

As part of their coursework in the Medicine and Society class, eight second-year medical students at Central Michigan University created a short film about the life of a family physician. The course explores topics and skills in research methods, public health, and humanities to address the ethical, legal, and cultural aspects of medicine in society. Students are encouraged to use art forms to explore the subject matter, often presenting paintings, poems, and creative educational materials.

This year, a group of students collaborated to create a fictional video titled "A Heartbeat Away," which depicts a family physician facing an ethical dilemma and navigating the situation. Each student played a specific role: Abhinav Nannapaneni wrote the script and directed the film; Kush Patel was the cinematographer; and Shahzaib Chughtai, Neehar Haryadi, Deepti Sanku, Ryan Graff, Sharat Kamath, and Alan Ross comprised the cast.

"I am so proud of the work these students did on this project," said Beth Bailey, Ph.D., the Medicine and Society Course Director. "They used their many creative talents to effectively and engagingly convey so many topics covered in the Medicine and Society course including medical ethics, doctor-patient relationships, physician wellness, and social determinants of health."

After completing the movie, the students showcased their film at Celebration Cinemas in Mount Pleasant with a special Friday evening screening. If you missed it, you can see the video HERE.