Massachusetts General Hospital

Claudius Conrad, Director of Music in Medicine of the Department of Surgery and the Benson Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine, is well-known for his work understanding the role of music in modern medicine. He holds an MD, a doctoral degree in stem cell biology, and a doctoral degree in music philosophy from the University of Munich. He has been awarded several honors for his work, including the Excellence in Research Award, the Leadership Award of the American College of Surgeons, Steinway Artist, and many others. As a trained concert pianist and lecturer, he promotes the scientific use of music in medicine at prominent institutions around the globe.

Current research activities include topics in basic science and investigator-initiated clinical studies in patients, relatives and physicians:

• The evolution of music as medicine since the beginning of cultural history until today
• Music as a stress relaxation tool in the emergency setting for relatives
• Music in high-stress work environments
• The influence of music on surgical performance and learning
  
• Music and hypermetabolism in critical illness
• The predictability of music induced relaxation
• Music and sleep in chronic critical illness
• Music and relaxation response

Media Coverage

Selected TV Documentaries

Chronicle: Music in Medicine

WebMD Medscape: Esoteric or Exoteric? Music in Medicine

Selected Newspaper Articles

Boston Globe: Musical surgeon examines the OR soundtrack

New York Times: A musician who performs with a scalpel

Selected Radio Interviews

WNYC: Soundtracking surgery

NPR: Death metal in the operating room?

PRX: Sound opinions

BBC: Music in medicine

Music, Medicine and History

Samata Sharma, MD (Brigham and Women’s Hospital), Diane Miller, MD (Tufts University)

Music Relaxation in the Emergency Setting

Hasan Alam, MD, David Brown, MD, Kalpana Narayan, MD, Blair Perry, Alyson Boulanger

Music and Surgical Performance

Denise Gee, MD, David Rattner, MD, Yusuf Konuk, MD

Music and Hypermetabolism in Critical Illness

Ron Tompkins, MD, Robert Sheridan, MD, Colleen Ryan, MD, Wolfgang Hartl, MD PhD (University of Munich)

Music and the Relaxation Response

Gregory Fricchione, MD, Herbert Benson, MD

Music and Experience

Paul Werner, PhD (Alliant University)

(All MGH unless noted differently.)

Individuals interested in applying for a Research Fellow position must meet the following criteria:

• Medical degree
• Fluent in English, both spoken and written
• Minimum one-year commitment

To apply for a Research Fellow position, interested individuals should submit:

• Application, including current photo
• Letter of intent describing the candidate’s goals and expectations
• Detailed and chronologically organized curriculum vitae
• Two letters of recommendation from professors or directors at the applicant's institution in English (from past 12 months)
• Laboratory skills should be detailed

All-electronic applications will be accepted. Please see Contact tab for mailing address.

Music in Medicine Research Group

Massachusetts General Hospital
Department of Surgery
55 Fruit Street, GRB 425
Boston, MA 02114

Phone: 617-726-2803
Fax: 617-724-3499
Email: cconrad1@partners.org

Claudius Conrad, MD, PhD
Director of Music in Medicine
E-mail: cconrad1@partners.org
Tel: 617-726-2803
Tel: 617-726-2000, pager 13366
Fax: 617-724-3499

How Can I Help?

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Massachusetts General Hospital
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Tel: 617-726-2200

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