FSU Poet Examines Healing Power of Arts

Tana Jean Welch shows how poetry and creative writing can benefit those in the high-stress medical field.

Published on Feb. 6, 2026

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Florida State University will spotlight the growing field of medical humanities during the Arts-Health-Humanities Symposium VI, featuring Associate Professor of Medical Humanities Tana Jean Welch, a poet and scholar who demonstrates how reading and writing poetry can benefit those in the medical profession.

Why it matters

The symposium aims to explore how the arts and humanities can enhance the intellectual and emotional environment in the medical field, which is often high-stress. Welch's work shows the therapeutic value of creative writing for medical professionals.

The details

Welch teaches courses in literature, writing and humanities, and serves as the director of the Chapman Humanities and Arts in Medicine Program (CHAMP) at FSU's College of Medicine. She is also the managing editor for a journal called "HEAL: Humanism Evolving through Arts and Literature," where doctors, students and patients share stories, paintings and poems about their lives in the medical world.

  • The Arts-Health-Humanities Symposium VI will take place on Tuesday, February 10, 2026 from 12-2:30 p.m.
  • Welch's work in the field of medical humanities has been ongoing at FSU.

The players

Tana Jean Welch

An associate professor of medical humanities at Florida State University, Welch is a poet and scholar of contemporary American poetry and medical humanities who demonstrates how reading and writing poetry can benefit those in the medical profession.

FSU's Office of Research

The office that hosts the annual Festival of the Creative Arts, which includes the Arts-Health-Humanities Symposium VI.

Chapman Humanities and Arts in Medicine Program (CHAMP)

A program directed by Welch that seeks to enhance the intellectual and emotional environment at the FSU College of Medicine through extracurricular arts and humanities programming.

HEAL: Humanism Evolving through Arts and Literature

A journal managed by Welch where doctors, students and patients share stories, paintings and poems about their lives in the medical world.

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What they’re saying

“Poetry's use of blank space, collage, ambiguity, and fragmented language echoes our embodied experience in many ways. The meaning of a poem, just like the meaning of a body, can shift from reader to reader or from day to day - in this way, poetry can be a truer representation of the body and bodily health.”

— Tana Jean Welch, Associate Professor of Medical Humanities (HEAL: Humanism Evolving through Arts and Literature)

“Creative and reflective writing is important for anyone in any field. It is a critical thinking tool - the act of writing can reveal hitherto unknown knowledge and emotions. Searching for the right words forces us to think deeper. This can be quite valuable in the medical profession.”

— Tana Jean Welch, Associate Professor of Medical Humanities (HEAL: Humanism Evolving through Arts and Literature)

What’s next

The Arts-Health-Humanities Symposium VI will continue to explore the intersection of the arts, humanities, and medical field, with the goal of enhancing the intellectual and emotional environment for medical professionals.

The takeaway

Tana Jean Welch's work demonstrates the therapeutic value of poetry and creative writing for those in high-stress medical professions, highlighting how the arts and humanities can complement the scientific aspects of healthcare and improve the overall well-being of medical practitioners.