Session Description: Society commonly holds the belief that medical education and the science of medicine is exclusive to the elite echelon and is not accessible to the majority. Through its signature event Art and Science of Medicine Festival (ASMF), the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine (LKCMedicine) of Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) sets out to disprove this myth and seeks to bring awareness to how the arts and humanities are tied to the field of medicine. It also aims to educate the public on the connection between medicine, health and quality of life in an accessible manner. To achieve these core objectives, once a year, the School brings more than 100 of its clinicians, researchers, staff, alumni and students to the heartlands of Singapore to let the general public experience medical education and medical research through a variety of hands-on activities, games, dialogues and demonstrations. At the 2024 ASMF attended by more than 4,000 members of the public, some 18 booths were showcased, alongside a health screening corner, as well as an art exhibition, “The HeART of Medicine”, that presented LKCMedicine’s students’ artworks that told stories of hope, sacrifice, compassion and gratitude in their journey to be good doctors. The Festival also offered workshops and dialogues by medical experts to share facts about chronic diseases and tips on staying healthy. The event ended on a mass zumba workout to remind everyone on the need to keep fit.

How was the Art and Science of Medicine Festival conceptualised, and what is the strategy adopted to galvanise the whole School to team up? What were the challenges to ensure clear roles and timelines for everyone? What communications and marketing efforts were utilised to invite wide audience attendance and participation?

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Learning Outcomes : - Expand participants' knowledge on challenges in putting up a large-scale science and education festival for the public
- Guide participants to study stakeholder involvement and strategies for stakeholder engagement
- Deepen participants' understanding of both strategic and practical aspects of building up teamwork among disparate groups, for the single purpose of advancing the institution's mission
- Encourage participants to reflect on the impact of successful branding.

What is the key takeaway from this session?: Attendees will gain an understanding of the importance of values-driven messaging for an event, stakeholder engagement and buy-in, and the impact of story-telling not just in words but also a compelling and comprehensive immersive programme for audience participation.