The Faculty of Medicine at the University of Augsburg is using the Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) method in teaching for the first time in the winter semester. The aim is to promote professional perception, critical thinking and communication skills of medical students through the observation of art. Augsburg is one of the first German universities to use VTS in medical education.

VTS was developed in the 1980s at the Museum of Modern Art in New York to train cognitive, social and communicative skills through structured art viewing. In the seminar room, students discuss projected works of art on the basis of three guiding questions that promote differentiated observation, evidence search, active listening and appreciation of different perspectives.

International studies show that VTS improves students’ diagnostic accuracy, expressiveness, and empathy. The method helps to deal with uncertainty and to communicate observations clearly. It strengthens Augsburg’s model course of study, which combines scientific excellence with reflection and human competence.

The method was learned by Dean of Studies Prof. Dr. Thomas Rotthoff at Harvard Medical School, where it is an integral part of medical curricula. In Germany, Augsburg is a pioneer. In addition to its use in studies, VTS is used in didactic training courses for teachers, especially in workshops on patient-related teaching.

Since the winter semester 2025/26, VTS has been integrated into the Maturitas teaching concept, which leads students to professional identity and responsibility. In the third semester, it supports the development of observational competence in clinical situations under the topic of “Professional Perception”.

Editor: X-Press Journalistenbüro GbR

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