How Music is Helping Redefine Patient Care with Dr. Melanie Ambler
What happens when a physician brings a cello into the hospital and uses music to help patients face some of the hardest moments of their lives? Melanie Ambler is exploring how medicine can be both clinical and deeply human. We sit down with Melanie, an MD and professional cellist who created Musical Rounds—an approach that blends improvisation, presence, and palliative care to help patients and families feel more connected and supported. She explains how music can be a tool for reflection and connection in moments when words are hard to find.
Dr. Melanie Ambler, MD
Dr. Melanie Ambler is a professional cellist and graduate of the Stanford School of Medicine. She is an Internal Medicine resident at Kaiser Permanente in Santa Clara, California, and founder of Musical Rounds, a music and storytelling project for patients in palliative care.
Key Takeaways
Care becomes more collaborative when patients help shape the experience.
When medicine can’t fix everything, care can still help patients feel seen, supported, and connected to the people around them.
Presence can be meaningful even when it doesn’t change the medical outcome.
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Where to find more: https://www.melanieambler.com/