Using family life drawings in medical student education.

A life drawing technique was used to educate third-year medical students in a diagnostic and therapeutic approach to young children. Students were asked to produce their own early family life drawings. A sample of 48 drawings were collected. A major goal was to sensitize students as to how their early family experiences likely shaped their current perceptions regarding children and families in the practice of medicine. Six of these student drawings were chosen to illustrate this goal. A few students even found that their drawings helped them resolve personal early life stresses.