The UNLV College of Fine and Performing Arts/Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine's Consortium for the Arts + Medicine presents the annual Circus Meets Medicine medical conference from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on June 6 at Las Vegas City Hall, 495 S. Main St. The event is free and open to the public.
UNLV emergency medicine resident alumnus Nathan Hollister and local performer Scott McDonald, along with faculty from the School of Integrated Health Sciences and the College of Fine Arts, organized the 'Circus Meets Medicine' conference to bridge the gap between the medical and circus communities after noticing a lack of specialized protocols for treating injuries among circus performers compared to professional athletes.
"Circus Meets Medicine brings together performers and healthcare professionals to continue a conversation about the needs of the artistic community and the advancement of research and science," said Hollister. "It brings important stakeholders into the same room so that researchers and those working in healthcare can share the latest advancements and current projects, and performers can share what new or growing concerns they are experiencing."
The conference seeks to educate medical professionals, stimulate research in this field, and aims to provide insights into performers’ unique injury patterns, recovery needs, and ways to refine medical approaches tailored to their demands.
"The College of Fine Arts is delighted to be collaborating in the exciting work of the Consortium of Arts + Medicine at UNLV," said College of Fine Arts Dean Nancy Uscher. "There is boundless potential for developing this rich interdisciplinary community, and there is considerable global interest in the myriad ways in which the arts intersect with the medicine and health sectors/professions. The conference Circus Meets Medicine will explore a range of innovative and powerful ideas with excellent thought leaders leading the way to the future of this creative pathway for society."
About the UNLV College of Fine Arts
The UNLV College of Fine Arts educates, empowers, and engages creative people to become visionary change-makers in the arts through acts of imagination. At UNLV we believe the arts are an essential good for society. We make education relevant and accessible through our programs and outreach. We create new knowledge in the arts. We celebrate independent thought and the power of bringing people together to foster creativity.
