At first glance, medicine and music may not appear to have much in common, but Grant Frazier felt differently. He had seen first hand the power of music to bring joy and connection, and he felt that this happiness was its own medicine. As an UVA undergraduate, Grant worked with Madison House to explore this connection and founded the Harmonies for Healing program.
This Madison House program recruits student musicians from around UVA to sing and perform for patients in the UVA hospital system. “Patients really connected to the music, “ said Grant. “It kind of took them away from everything that they were dealing with.” One experience in particular that solidified Grant’s desire to go into medicine was when he was able to sing Maroon 5’s “Sunday Morning” to a young patient after an especially difficult day.
“I think that experience shaped and affirmed my path to pursuing medicine,” Grant shared. “Volunteering is just giving what you have to your community and not expecting anything in return; just serving for the betterment of our neighbors and society.”
“I’m incredibly thankful to Madison House and to UVA health system for allowing my program to be present and still be a program within the organization.”
Working with Madison House and Harmonies for Healing fostered Grant’s lifelong commitment to community oriented service. As a current medical student, Grant now works on several research projects dedicated to understanding and improving healthcare and access to healthcare for marginalized populations. Overall, Grant is extremely grateful to Madison House for the support he experienced in founding a new program and for the House’s commitment to connecting students with the Charlottesville community in a meaningful and authentic way.
“I'm incredibly thankful to Madison House and to UVA health system for allowing my program to be present and still be a program within the organization,” said Grant. “I owe everything to the leadership teams and to everyone that I got to work with.”
If you have questions about Harmonies for Healing or Grant’s path into medicine, contact info@madisonhouse.org to learn more!
Author: Caroline Young; csy6wd@virginia.edu
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