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Science majors are often stereotyped as bookworms, devoid of any kind of creativity. The volunteer organization, Heart Sounds and MEDleys however, has shown the contrary since its inception four years ago.

Every other week, the small group of medical students converge to rehearse music which they eventually perform for patients at the UCLA hospital and for elderly residents living in the retirement home, Westwood Horizons, during the Christmas season and a couple of other times throughout the year.

“I think that does surprise people when they do find out we’re a group of medical students,” said second-year medical student and Heart Sounds and MEDleys student leader, Vicky Chang. “Sometimes they say, ‘I didn’t know you guys could play instruments or you had the time to come out here.’ It’s just the fact that it’s more of an artistic thing. Most medical school groups are community service or science oriented-type things. So it’s working your left brain, but this group is more working with your right.”

The group is composed of musicians with a wide-range of levels of experience and style.

They perform a cappella pieces as well as Christmas music, classical music, Broadway show tunes and Beatles songs. Instruments include keyboard, flute, violin, guitar and voice, and the group oftentimes encourages audience participation.

Chang said that some residents at Westwood Horizons have even played along on harmonica and piano.

“They intermingle very well,” said Liza Garson, Westwood Horizons Social Services and Activities Coordinator.

The organization has been so successful, that recently an undergraduate division of the organization (simply called MEDleys) was formed by third-year Biochemistry student, Virginia Liu, who strongly believes in the dire need for similar interactive volunteer programs in hospitals.

“I’ve volunteered at a hospital, and I’ve noticed the atmosphere could use a little bit more life and emotion involved in it,” Liu said.

“A few times I’ve noticed while working in the hospital that all that can help the patients make their day a little bit better, is just companionship. These are all elderly patients talking about all these things they couldn’t do, because they were being committed to their beds in the hospital, and I figured if they couldn’t go out and experience these emotions and live their life, then we might as well go there and bring it to them.”

More specifically, the volunteers believe in the power of music to heal.

“A lot of your physical being has to do with your emotional and mental well being,” Liu said. “Being able to help with that part isn’t something that the hospital currently has the opportunity to offer, just because they’re so concerned with the physical aspect of health.”

Many medical studies have proven that music can be therapeutic and hospitals like the Santa Monica Hospital, with which Liu has been in communication with, now have musical therapy programs available.

There is even musical-therapy-assisted labor and delivery available for pregnant women in hospitals today.

According to the American Music Therapy Association, the idea that music can be therapeutic has been around since Aristotle and Plato. And during World War I and World War II, musicians from various communities began performing for veterans in hospitals across America.

After seeing the positive effects of musical therapy on patients, hospitals began hiring musicians to perform for patients.

Overall, the volunteers of Heart Sounds and MEDleys have found that their efforts not only benefit the patients and elderly they perform for, but also themselves.

“The first two years, you spend all your time in the classroom basically,” Chang said of the medical school experience. “When I went out with Heart Sounds and MEDleys for the first time, it was actually the first time I had been on the different floors of the hospitals and so you get exposure to that, and it does motivate you and inspire you in a way to be a better doctor because you do want to help the people that you see in the hospital.”

The volunteers also get the chance to enjoy playing music and interact with each other.

“The goal is not only to play music to improve patients’ lives, but also just to have fun for us,” Chang said.

For further information on MEDleys, email VirginiaBLiu@gmail.com.