Do Gardeners Make Better Doctors?

As gardeners, we already know (yawn) the many benefits (yass!) of time spent digging in the dirt, nourishing new plants, and harvesting the fruits — or vegetables — of our labors. Thanks to a new trend at medical schools around the country, the next generation of physicians will, too.

In addition to labs and medical libraries, several school campuses are also making room for herb gardens, vegetable patches, meditation gardens, and other green spaces. These gardens aren’t designed just to provide food or improve the scenery. They are increasingly being used as teaching opportunities (and even requirements) for our country’s future doctors.

Granted, college and medical school campuses are often beautiful spaces with ample areas of plants and flowers sprinkled throughout. But recently, campuses are adding gardens and green spaces with more intentional purpose.

Med school gardens often serve multiple functions. At UMass Chan Medical School in Worcester, MA, a student-led initiative created a community garden in 2019. Students work in the garden alongside community members. Together, they learn about nutrition and help provide healthy produce to community members dealing with food insecurity. 

A similar garden has been growing at University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine for the past few years: the Miller Herb and Food Garden, next to the campus’s Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. Students, doctors and patients are invited to plant, cultivate, and harvest nutritious vegetables and healing medicinal herbs (such as aloe, turmeric, mint, and ginger).

At the Alice L. Walton School of Medicine (AWSOM) in Bentonville, Arkansas, gardens aren’t just a campus add-on. They are an integral part of the teaching curriculum — and the school’s master plan. The 134-acre campus includes miles of trails, multiple gardens, and outdoor classroom spaces. In keeping with the campus’s connection to nature, the roof of the main medical school building is also a garden of sorts, a two-acre green roof that’s home to 90-plus species of native trees and plants. 

Providing access to gardens and green space at AWSOM is in keeping with the school’s "whole health" philosophy. That vision includes a medical education with a focus on wellness, prevention, and the power of art and nature to build better doctors. In fact, gardening and cooking classes contribute to the 50 hours of nutrition-related training needed to graduate. 

Med-school gardens are becoming teaching tools where students get in touch with nature, learn about nutrition, and collaborate with patients and community members. All of this trains future doctors to talk with patients about the importance of food as medicine and the mental and physical health benefits of time in nature.

A literally living classroomAt the Alice L. Walton School of Medicine (AWSOM) in Bentonville, Arkansas, gardens aren’t just a campus add-on. They are an integral part of the teaching curriculum — and the school’s master plan. The 134-acre campus includes miles of trails, multiple gardens, and outdoor classroom spaces. In keeping with the campus’s connection to nature, the roof of the main medical school building is also a garden of sorts, a two-acre green roof that’s home to 90-plus species of native trees and plants. Providing access to gardens and green space at AWSOM is in keeping with the school’s “whole health” philosophy. That vision includes a medical education with a focus on wellness, prevention, and the power of art and nature to build better doctors. In fact, gardening and cooking classes contribute to the 50 hours of nutrition-related training needed to graduate. Med-school gardens are becoming teaching tools where students get in touch with nature, learn about nutrition, and collaborate with patients and community members. All of this trains future doctors to talk with patients about the importance of food as medicine and the mental and physical health benefits of time in nature.

Green spaces on medical school campuses serve another equally important role in students’ lives. Medical school is a notoriously stressful journey. Having outlets that help relieve anxiety and promote calm can be vital to med students’ mental health.

An array of studies have confirmed the beneficial effects of time in nature. A 2020 review of 14 studies found that spending as little as 10 minutes in a natural environment could produce positive results, such as lower cortisol levels, heart rate, and blood pressure. 

Whether medical students are actively cultivating medicinal plants or simply strolling through a green space, they can get those soothing benefits. And some medical schools are betting that these experiences will go one step further to help grow more grounded, holistic healthcare providers. Another win-win, courtesy of all things green and growing.