The Reconciliation of My Love for Science and My Passion for Art

In many ways, a pathology slide is similar to a painting by the famous impressionist Claude Monet. By applying individual short strokes in precise arrangements, Monet conjured paintings that are greater than the sums of its parts. I had the opportunity to study his Water Lilies installation in person at the Musée de l’Orangerie during my visit to Paris in my second year of medical school. The large murals made it appear as if I was looking out to a lily pond through frosted windows. Upon closer inspections, new details began to emerge: water lilies interspersing clusters of lily pads, reflections of clouds drifting by, and areas shadowy algae. At every layer, I learn more and more about the painting’s story and this is the exact same approach I use to analyze slides during my pathology elective. The strokes mirror individual cells that came together to form larger structures and eventual tissues. Each component can be broken down and built up again until a clear picture of a patient’s diagnosis arises. My familiarity with art enabled me to recognize structural disorders, cellular atypia, and abnormal findings which I excitedly share with others in the lab. Collaborating with equally passionate colleagues over slides felt as if we were old friends marveling over paintings at a museum, pointing out little details for others to appreciate.

Thanchanok Chaiprasit, Poznań University of Medical Sciences

Thanchanok Chaiprasit is a fourth year medical student at Poznań University of Medical Sciences who is participating in the 2021 Pathology Match cycle. She is the co-founder and Vice President of her institution’s Pathology Society. Outside of her interest in Pathology, Thanchanok enjoys traveling, creating art, and digital anthropology - particularly viewed through the lens of medicine.

Twitter: @Thanchanok_Chai