Marching to the Beat of their Own Drum: The Unique Primary Care Needs of the Performing Artist

We have all been inspired by their work on stage, enjoyed watching their movies, or sat listening, enthralled by their music. Performing artists are the center of the entertainment that lightens our mood, fulfills our desire for adventure, scares our pants off, or makes us laugh uncontrollably. Life without their work would be continuous drudgery, and so we pay for them to make our lives enjoyable. But behind that spectacular clear-as-a-bell soprano voice, that impossibly graceful ballerina or the deeply soulful jazz pianist is a person driven to perform. They perform despite injuries that physicians are unable to diagnose. They perform despite low pay or no insurance. And they do it for us. Join me, the world's first performing arts medicine fellowship trained primary care physician as we discuss this underserved patient population. You will learn why these folks are not your normal primary care patients, what makes them unique, and how to provide care that addresses their particular needs.

Upon completion of this program, participants will be able to:

1. Describe at least 3 common performing arts environmental stressors that negatively impact a performer's health.
2. Describe what elements of an artist's performance history should be added to an H&P.
3. List mental illnesses common to performing artists.
4. List commonly used medications that should be avoided by performers

Statement of Accreditation
The Texas Osteopathic Medical Association (TOMA) is accredited by the American Osteopathic Association to provide osteopathic continuing medical education for physicians. TOMA designates is program for a maximum of .75 AOA Category 1-A credits and will report CME credits commensurate with the extent of the physician’s participation in this activity.

Grievance Policy
All grievances may be directed to TOMA's Executive Director at toma@txosteo.org. All grievances will receive an initial response within 30 days of receipt.  If the participant does not receive a satisfactory response, they can submit a complaint to the Bureau of Osteopathic Education of the AOA at 142 East Ontario Street, Chicago, IL 60611.