Dr. Mary Rorro, will discuss her therapeutic music program for veterans, “A Few Good Notes,” She helped create the Guitar Instruction Group in her VA, which provides free guitars and lessons for veterans and she performs with patient musicians on viola.
Dr. Rorro will share a video of the guitar group and present a slide presentation about the benefits of “A Few Good Notes,” by providing veteran and employee feedback, as well as share poetry based on themes of post-traumatic stress disorder and war to help patients in their journey toward healing.
As the Chair of the Music and Medicine and Humanities Committee of the American Medical Women’s Association, Dr. Rorro will discuss several of the music and medicine initiatives, and share two music videos “Physicians Healers and Healthcare Heroes,” to honor healthcare heroes around the world during the COVID-19 pandemic, and “Meet The Moment” to deliver a musical public health message about COVID-19 prevention measures, mask wearing and vaccination, featuring diverse international pre-med students and physicians.
Dr. Ross will begin by giving a brief introduction to hospice and palliative medicine, highlighting its role in the care of very sick patients.
Based on anecdotal experiences with music in her practice, Dr. Ross will discuss the psychological, emotional and spiritual impact of bedside signing on patients living with life-limiting illnesses and patients at end of life, as well as the impact of this intervention on their loved ones.
As she relates these experiences, Dr. Ross will share some of the songs that she sang as musical offerings to the Veterans and their loved ones. She will also briefly discuss some of the findings in the medical literature that lend support to the outcome of these experiences.
About our Guests
Dr. Mary Rorro, is a board-certified psychiatrist who graduated cum laude with honors in music from Bryn Mawr College and received their first Performing Arts Prize. She was Chief Resident and Resident of the Year (from Pfizer) during her psychiatry residency at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Rorro completed an Addiction Psychiatry Fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital. She cares for veterans in the Department of Veterans Affairs New Jersey VA Healthcare System and created her “A Few Good Notes” therapeutic music program for veterans. She is also a musician, songwriter, and poet. Dr. Rorro is the recipient of a Jefferson Award, which is the nation’s oldest and most prestigious recognition program for volunteer public service, and the official recognition program of the United States Senate.
Dr. Sydelle Ross is an anesthesiologist and pain medicine specialist who currently practices hospice and palliative medicine. She holds board certifications in all three disciplines. Dr. Ross received her doctor of medicine degree from Columbia University’s Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. She completed her residency training in anesthesiology at New York Presbyterian Hospital- Columbia University Medical Center. Dr. Ross completed her fellowship training in pain medicine at the Hospital of The University of Pennsylvania and she currently practices in the New Jersey Veterans Affairs Healthcare System.
Dr. Ross is a classically trained vocalist who uses the gift of music to care for her patients who are living with life-threatening or life-limiting illnesses. She is the host of a podcast entitled Prescriptions In Song, whose goal is to promote awareness of the healing potential of music. Dr. Ross is a recipient of the Arnold P. Gold Foundation’s Humanism in Medicine Award, which recognizes physicians who are exemplars of compassionate patient care and who serve as role models, mentors and leaders in medicine.
This event will be hosted by Dr. Mohan Sundararaj MBBS, MPH, IAMM’s Chair of Development and Finance.
Please note that IAMM members do not need to register and will automatically receive a Zoom link for this event. For questions email sgracida@iammonline.com.