At Ken Walker International University, we believe that empathy is not only a human quality - it’s a clinical skill every doctor must master. As part of our innovative approach to medical education, third-year students are taking part in Empathy Training sessions led by KWIU’s invited lecturer, theatre, film and voice actor - artist Vladimer Novosardov.
In the first stage, guided by the actor’s professional direction, students take on the roles of both patient and doctor - practicing communication in emotionally charged and sensitive situations that mirror real clinical encounters.
“The students get to feel what it feels like to be in the patient's shoes and it helps them to understand how to approach ethical cases properly. We use acting to develop necessary tools that every doctor needs in their professional career. Through this unique blend of art and medicine, students learn to navigate complex emotions, develop the ability to access patient's emotional state, act accordingly and adjust”, - Vladimer notes.
Vladimer Novosardov is a well-known theatre and film actor, a leading artist at the Alexander Griboedov Drama Theatre, a voice actor and a dubbing artist for major companies like Netflix, Disney, Universal pictures, Warner Brothers, and many more. Last year, at the Brampton International Nollywood Film Festival in Canada, Vladimer Novosardov was nominated and won Best Actor in the short film “The Monopol,” receiving the Jury Prize.
Vladimer Novosardov is an alumnus of the Shota Rustaveli State University of Theatre and Film, where he received his professional training in the Studio under Avtandil Varsimashvili - an internationally recognized Georgian director and educator, and the artistic director of both the Liberty Theatre and the Griboedov Theatre. Vladimer brings years of stage and screen experience to help future doctors develop deep empathy and a profound understanding of their patients.
Currently implemented with part of the third-year cohort, the program is planned to become a fully integrated component of KWIU’s medical curriculum. At KWIU, we’re shaping future doctors who heal with both knowledge and empathy.