Writing My First Op-Ed

The first hurdle in the process of writing my op-ed was establishing myself as a writer who should be trusted. I argued medical school curricula should include visual arts-based courses. My personal experience as an artist gave me the credibility to talk about the value of the visual arts. However, since I have no medical credentials, I knew I would need a wealth of reliable sources to effectively make the case for change in medical education. Quotes from the Association of American Medical Colleges, M.D.s, and academic papers helped establish my ethos. I incorporated statistics and results from about 15 studies as well as information from blog posts, articles, and other sources. I did not want the reader to question my claims because of a lack of evidence.

The urgency of the issue was another aspect I made sure to emphasize. I set out to answer: Why does this issue matter? Why does this issue matter right now? I took a twofold approach to address these questions. First, I discussed how many physicians are failing their patients because they lack proper visual analysis skills. I cited several studies that showed how patients are being harmed. In addition to indicating how patients are affected, I also explained how doctors and medical students are suffering from burnout. I used statistics and evidence to demonstrate the magnitude of the mental health crisis among medical practitioners. The remaining challenge was to describe and prove how the visual arts can address these problems.

I do not believe I dealt with any of these matters perfectly in my op-ed. However, I found citing a range of credible sources critical for establishing both ethos and exigence, while ultimately presenting a more persuasive argument.