Hi my name is Robyn Guo and I’m a second year medical student at Duke University School of Medicine (DUSOM). Art has always been an important part of my life and one of my goals is to demonstrate that anyone can create art. Many people believe artistic ability is something you’re born with but I don’t believe that’s true. As long as you have the right resources and foundations, you can use them to create something beautiful.
I’m also passionate about increasing art accessibility. Making art more accessible provides an avenue for individuals to express themselves in a healthy way. Putting your feelings into words is sometimes difficult but art allows you to convey what you want to say without words. During 2019-2020, I served as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps fellow at a K-8 school in Philadelphia. I also participated the Mural Arts Philadelphia’s Mural Training Program. As a medical student, I continue to explore the intersection of community health and visual art.
At DUSOM, I help coordinate the Anatomy Drawing Program and am an associate editor of the VOICES literary journal. I have also worked with the Nasher Museum of Art to design a resident retreat that explores the utility of visual art in the practice of medicine using Visual Thinking Strategies methodology.