Center Assistant Professor Dr. Devan Stahl recently attended the Sixth Annual Western Michigan University Medical Humanities Conference, held September 15-16 in Kalamazoo. Dr. Stahl planned and moderated a panel and workshop on the use of fine art in medicine. Presenters discussed how fine art can help providers to understand illness narratives, can help highlight the ethical dilemmas of medical technologies, and can be used to help medical students learn to navigate ambiguity and communication in their future practice.

Dr. Stahl also presented at last week’s Society of Michigan Neonatologists annual conference, held in East Lansing. In her talk, “Medical Interventions for Children with Trisomy 18: How Far Should We Go?,” Dr. Stahl discussed how to navigate the ethical and medical complexities surrounding decisions for the treatment of infants with trisomy 18. She discussed strategies for interacting with families who request aggressive treatment for their child, and how to work productively with other health care providers when managing the care of a child with trisomy 18. The presentation produced a lively and energetic discussion with the audience.