Dr. Mariah Robertson recently brought her Geriatric Medicine fellows from Johns Hopkins University to the Bernice Kish Gallery for a session linking art, empathy, and medicine. Her group engaged with the Properties of Imagination exhibition through Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) and a Personal Responses Tour — exploring themes of aging, caregiving, and community.
Q&A with Dr. Mariah Robertson
Q: What first drew you to explore the connection between art and medicine?
During my early days of house call work, I realized that providing care in someone’s home is more than gathering a medical history — it’s experiencing a person’s story. That understanding led me to explore how art and medicine intersect.
I became certified in Visual Thinking Strategies facilitation and completed an Art Museum Educator fellowship at Harvard University, using these approaches to help medical learners see their patients and communities with more curiosity and less bias.
Q: How does living and working in Columbia influence your approach?
Much of my clinical practice involves visiting the homes of older adults here in Columbia, where I also live and serve on the Hickory Ridge Village board. I believe deeply in the rich culture and founding vision of this community. There’s still important work to do to live up to those ideals, and I love imagining how we can continue to grow and connect more thoughtfully.
Q: How did you use VTS or the Personal Responses Tour with the works on view?
We utilized some core museum teaching techniques including Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) and a Personal Responses Tour to help us dive into themes of aging and caregiving, important learning for future Geriatricians.
The work on display was diverse and left room for the breadth of thoughts and perspectives of the fellows.
We focused our VTS reflection on the works by Charlotte Mann Lee which brought a reflection on the connection of nature and humanity and the journey of aging.
Q: Did the group make any unexpected connections between the artwork and their future practice in medicine, especially in caring for older adults?
At the end multiple participants expressed both a desire to revisit the gallery for future viewing as well as a deeper appreciation for the field of Geriatric Medicine and their calling to care for our elders.
Q: How did the gallery setting influence the conversations you had?
We appreciated the bright, light-filled space, and also the sitting areas situated in the center of the gallery which created opportunities for dialogue and connection.
Q: How do you see sessions like this benefiting your trainees and the wider community?
I believe that art spaces like the Bernice Kish Gallery, integrated and accessible to communities that allow for thoughtful, shared reflection are important to creating dialogue across differing perspectives.
I think now, more than ever, this is essential to collectivism and is also central to the foundation of Columbia.
I am grateful to the Bernice Kish Gallery, which turned out to be the perfect space for our learning and growth together.
About Dr. Mariah Robertson
Dr. Mariah Robertson, MD, MPH, is a clinician educator — a physician and faculty member at Johns Hopkins University with training in both Internal Medicine and Geriatric Medicine (care of adults who are aged to perfection).
Dr. Robertson is a house call doctor caring for older adults at home and an educator across the Johns Hopkins Schools of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing.
Dr. Robertson is certified in Visual Thinking Strategies facilitation and coaching and completed an Art Museum Educator Fellowship at Harvard University.
Her work explores how art and medicine connect, transforming how medical learners view the homes and communities of their patients.
Dr. Robertson currently practices in Columbia, Maryland, where she also serves as a board member for the Hickory Ridge Village and advocates for community connection through the arts.
The Bernice Kish Gallery is honored to host programs and partnerships that bridge art, reflection, and human connection — reminding us that creativity and empathy often speak the same language.
As part of our ongoing commitment to community engagement, the Gallery welcomes educators, health professionals, and local groups interested in using the arts as a catalyst for dialogue and discovery.