📅 Date & Time
October 28, 2025 | 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM

📍 Location
Nova SBE – Room B132

Medical Improv: Improvisation Techniques Applied to Healthcare

In a sector in constant transformation, with unpredictable challenges and high emotional and cognitive demands, skills such as effective communication, error management, real-time adaptation, and collaborative thinking are now essential for all health professionals – including researchers, professors, and students – who seek not only technical excellence but also more conscious and effective human relationships.

It is in this context that the “Medical Improv” workshop will take place on October 28, led by Marta Borges and Pedro Borges, founders of the company OS IMPROVÁVEIS, with over 20 years of experience applying improvisation techniques to professional contexts, including education, healthcare, media, and social intervention.

Medical Improv is the adaptation of improvisational theatre techniques to the training of clinical and relational skills in healthcare professionals – with no focus on performance, but with strong emphasis on clinical soft skills such as active listening, empathy, error acceptance, non-verbal communication, presence, mental agility, cooperation under pressure or in contexts of uncertainty. Off stage, these tools provide healthcare professionals with a concrete way to become more present, more aware of their relationships with others, and better prepared to respond in a human and effective way to everyday challenges.

Studies from institutions such as Harvard Medical School, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, and the University of Chicago show that integrating these practices into medical training or clinical practice significantly improves communication between peers and with patients, reduces burnout, increases confidence in decision-making under pressure, and contributes to a more collaborative and empathetic clinical environment. As physician and researcher Belinda Fu (University of Washington) summarizes:

“Improvisation isn’t about being funny. It’s about being present, accepting what’s happening, and building on it with others — just like good clinical care.”

With a duration of 3 hours, this workshop combines a theoretical introduction to the fundamentals of improvisation with guided practical exercises, where all participants are invited to safely and collectively experience the application of improvisation in everyday contexts. The goal is to offer a rich, dynamic, and adaptable training experience that raises awareness and can be progressively integrated into work environments, from academic training to clinical practice.

The session is aimed at healthcare professionals and faculty members who want to develop greater adaptability when facing errors and unforeseen situations, strengthen listening and mindfulness under stress, improve interpersonal communication in demanding environments, and deepen their relational presence as human agents in the healthcare system.

It will undoubtedly be a unique experiential learning opportunity, combining humor, technique, and critical thinking to promote – in a fun and engaging way – a more effective, empathetic, and resilient practice.

👉 Free but mandatory registration via Eventbrite. Session will be held in Portuguese

OS IMPROVÁVEIS

Marta and Pedro Borges are founding actors and directors of the improvisation group OS IMPROVÁVEIS. Graduates in Corporate Communication, postgraduates in Theatre, and specialized in Improvisation, they have performed hundreds of shows in Portugal and abroad and have extensive experience in Applied Improvisation, Communication, Storytelling, and Public Speaking for major companies and international universities. Over the years, they have developed training solutions in various areas, helping professionals and teams strengthen Adaptability, Communication, and Improvisation skills that allow them to effectively manage constant market changes and professional challenges.

Official website: www.osimprovaveis.com