Medical School Film Series

[Socrates/Hippocrates]

Hi everyone, I'm preparing to enter medical school here at the University of Oklahoma in the fall, and couldn't be more excited about it. I know it's my #1 job to keep up with the material every day and never let that slip, but I've been giving serious thought to the possibility of bringing a Film Series to the OU Health Sciences Center campus. I believe that film, above all, is an empathy engine, forcing audiences to connect with ideas and individuals outside themselves. As a future doctor, I think that can only be for the better.

I'm not concerned at the moment with the logistics or with whether or not I could actually put any butts in seats, but rather with any and all constructive input about how to approach the selection of yearly themes and possible selections for those themes.

Right now I've got a few musings:

Sight and Blindness: ?

Life's Worth: ...

Memory: Memento, Bourne (Any), Shutter Island, Inception, Still Alice, ...

Aging: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, etc

Addiction and Abuse: The Long Weekend, Requiem for a Dream, Trainspotting, or whatever



Also, I'd considered screening a year of films focused on medical students and doctors pushing the boundaries of medical ethics. Each film would be followed by open, guided discussions about the issues at play w/in the film.

Flatliners (of which I'm not personally a fan)

Re-Animator (a little racy, but provocative)

Contagion(Soderbergh, so it must be great)

American Mary (Dark, and I'm just realizing all these suggestions are horror flicks...)

Or more specialization focused...again, all input would be appreciated! Help me out guys! I need some new thoughts from somebody besides me!

For the love of humanities...

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[operaman]

What a great idea! Sounds like you're already well on your way with some great ideas. I think you won't have much trouble putting butts in seats -- within any class you'll find a small group of people who are in to just about anything. Bonus points if you make it enjoyable and pick a good time for everyone. If I were in your shoes, I'd probably also try to incorporate food/wine into the mix somehow. Depending on the numbers, you may even be able to find faculty who will let you use their homes for these viewings.

As for other movies, just so many options.

For Sight and blindness - Scent of a Woman, Ray,

Disease/death/dying - "Wit"

Mental illness - One Flew Over the ****oo's Nest, As Good as it Gets, A beautiful mind, The Fisher King, Sybil

Medical Training - the documentary Somm

Neuro/Injury/Rehabilitation - Awakenings, The Other Side of the Mountain (my mom used to teach with the woman this movie is based on)

Aging - would also add the pixar classic "Up"

ID, HIV/AIDS - Philadelphia, And the Band Played On, Dallas Buyers Club

I'm sure I'll think of more but these came to mind first. Many would easily fit into multiple categories for a file series. It's rather difficult to make a good move about many of the more painful issues we see in medicine. I think there is a limit to just how much reality and mortality audiences want to spend $15 a ticket to go see in their free time. The medically-themed or medically-relevant movies tend to look at medicine with sideways glances.

 

[phonyreal98]

Inside out

 

[OnePunchBiopsy]

"The Placebo Effect," starring Dr. Oz

 

[takeurmeds02]

Something the Lord Made - race relations/blue baby syndrome/CT surg

Lorenzo's Oil - adrenoleukodystrophy cure/family dynamics

My Sister's Keeper - medical ethics/cancer/family dynamics

John Q - organ transplantation/family dynamics/how far will one man go? haha

Vanilla Sky - maybe

Side Effects - came out in 2013


(Pathology - came out in 2008, pretty racey if I remember though, worth it to view for yourself though)