San Francisco-based Doctor and Artist Weaves Together Two Passionate Pursuits with Discipline, Creativity, and a Steady Hand.
Discipline, creativity, and a steady hand - qualities that Dr. Don Hershman says are essential for both an artist and a surgeon. With a career spanning both fields, the board-certified doctor has learned to harness these traits to navigate complex medical procedures and paint vibrant works of art.
Hershman's artistic journey began with a blank canvas, much like the operating room, where every move must be calculated with precision. "When I'm beginning a surgery, it's the start of an adventure," he notes, drawing parallels between the creative process and the intricacies of medicine. This unique perspective allows him to tap into his creative energy, a sensation few people experience.
As an openly gay artist who went through medical school in a time when being LGBTQ+ was not widely accepted, Hershman has spoken about how he had to "code-switch" - adapting language and behavior to fit in with his peers. This experience is reflected in his recent artworks, which explore the practice of modifying one's tone and behavior for different social contexts.
Hershman finds that his experiences as a surgeon complement his artistic pursuits. In both fields, he has learned to focus on the patient rather than their background or privilege. "Everybody is equal," he says. "It gives you a bird's-eye view of the world." This perspective allows him to approach art with a new sense of empathy and understanding.
In Hershman's hands, medicine and art are not mutually exclusive but rather interconnected disciplines that enhance each other. His work serves as a testament to the power of discipline, creativity, and a steady hand - qualities that allow individuals to excel in multiple fields.
Discipline, creativity, and a steady hand - qualities that Dr. Don Hershman says are essential for both an artist and a surgeon. With a career spanning both fields, the board-certified doctor has learned to harness these traits to navigate complex medical procedures and paint vibrant works of art.
Hershman's artistic journey began with a blank canvas, much like the operating room, where every move must be calculated with precision. "When I'm beginning a surgery, it's the start of an adventure," he notes, drawing parallels between the creative process and the intricacies of medicine. This unique perspective allows him to tap into his creative energy, a sensation few people experience.
As an openly gay artist who went through medical school in a time when being LGBTQ+ was not widely accepted, Hershman has spoken about how he had to "code-switch" - adapting language and behavior to fit in with his peers. This experience is reflected in his recent artworks, which explore the practice of modifying one's tone and behavior for different social contexts.
Hershman finds that his experiences as a surgeon complement his artistic pursuits. In both fields, he has learned to focus on the patient rather than their background or privilege. "Everybody is equal," he says. "It gives you a bird's-eye view of the world." This perspective allows him to approach art with a new sense of empathy and understanding.
In Hershman's hands, medicine and art are not mutually exclusive but rather interconnected disciplines that enhance each other. His work serves as a testament to the power of discipline, creativity, and a steady hand - qualities that allow individuals to excel in multiple fields.
. I'm sure Dr. Hershman's story is great and all, but let's be real, his art is probably way more polished than most of our posts 
. And can we talk about how the article just glosses over the struggles he faced as an openly gay med student? It feels like they're trying to make him out to be some kind of hero, rather than sharing a nuanced story 
he's literally proof that ur passion can take u on some crazy adventures... like, who wouldn't want 2 be a surgeon & an artist at the same time lol? and what's up w/ him talkin bout "coding switchin" - i feel u, doc 
its all about adaptin 2 situations & expressin yerself in different ways. his art is soooo fire btw, it's like he's taken all these complex emotions & experiences & turned them into somethin beautiful 
anyway back to this doc... I love that he's an openly gay artist who had to navigate a tough time in med school, it's so inspiring to see him use that experience as fuel for his art. 
and omg the idea of "coding switch" is like... total life change 
! As an artist myself, I can relate to how medicine and art aren't so different after all - both require focus, precision, and attention to detail. His story is super inspiring, especially with his experience as a gay med student back in the day 
. It's amazing how he's harnessed that energy into something beautiful through his art. And I gotta say, his approach to art and life - focusing on the patient (or in this case, the viewer) rather than their background - is so refreshing 
this doc is lowkey a superhero! 
i mean, who needs an art gallery when you can save lives? 
it's clear he's all about empathy & understanding 
I'm loving this doc's story! As an artist myself (yes, I know, a lot of us are creatives 
), it's so inspiring to see someone who's able to bridge the gap between medicine and art with such ease. I mean, who says surgeons can't be artists too? 
By approaching problems from different angles, we can come up with more innovative solutions. Maybe we can learn a thing or two from Dr. Hershman's approach to "coding-switching"? 
It's like they're relying too much on buzzwords rather than actually telling us something new or interesting.