PlayMD.ph

“I Am a Tree” is a fast-paced improv game where players build a living scene one element at a time.

Player 1 enters and says, “I am a tree.” Player 2 joins and adds an object or character that relates to the tree: “I am a bird.” Player 3 then adds something else to complete the picture: “I am the nest of the bird.” Player 4 joins, calls out one of the three objects, “I am the bird.” The bird leaves and Player 4 replaces them. All players then exit and the group starts to build a fresh picture. The game continues, constantly rebuilding living scenes.

I remember this was the first improv game I fell in love with. It’s easy enough to follow and play and engages everyone quickly. It allows participants to build on skills and mindsets that are applicable to everyday life.

It perfectly demonstrates the “Yes, And” principle. We accept what has already been established and build on it by adding to the picture.

What lessons transfer to healthcare?

Receiving offers (treating what a patient says as material to build on), co-creating together (sharing decision-making with patients as partners), presence (noticing what is actually in front of you), communication, adaptability, etc.

It can be hard to see how a short moment of fun and laughter can actually cascade into the learning of skills and mindsets. But it does. We learn skills that help us improvise better, engage better, and connect better. And, honestly, improv skills are medical skills.

Let’s play fully unscripted.

Here me out. Katie Watson said that doctors and improvisers have a number of things in common. “Both need to prepare for unpredictability, accept uncertain and ambiguous conditions, must develop mental agility, think creatively, and recognize patterns during rapidly changing situations.”

Both relies on forming strong relationships with their partners. Both face the unknown by overcoming paralysis and inhibition to act. Both readily adapt to evolving situations.

Doctors are improvisers because we don’t have scripts, we work with what we are offered with, and we pivot as we see fit. We build and collaborate together with our patients. We become curious about them, empathize, and begin to imagine new possibilities.

So imagine if, like improvisers, we can develop these mindsets and skills. If we bring them up to our consciousness and actively build on what we use everyday. If we can sharpen our tools or expand our toolkit to support the ways we communicate and collaborate.

Actually, there’s no need to imagine. Because we can.

LAHAD is a night where BIMPO steps back, keeps things simple, and shares the heart of what means to us. After 8 years, we go back to where it all began: improv storytelling as our way of connecting, laughing, and remembering. Be part of our story that continues to grow on stage.

Save the date!
BIMPO Presents: Lahad
October 17, 2026 | Saturday | 6:00 PM
Opera Haus, Makati City

Some takeaways from shared insights at yesterday’s AIN Watch Party with Luke Perone.

“Yes,And frames communication and learning as collaborative meaning-making.” -Luke

“Students are necessary partners and co-creators of the learning environment rather than merely members of it. Educators cannot do the work without students.” - Gwen and Luke

“The relationship between expertise and learning is dialectical rather than strictly heirarchical.” - Luke

“It’s okay to make mistakes. Mistakes must be shared for everybody to learn from them.” - Bryce

“The best Yes, Anding happens in a psychologically safe space. Approaching situations with curiosity instead of judgment enables collaboration, innovation, and continued “Yes, And” practice. - Monica

“Unsafe teachers can cause learners to view themselves as incapable and withdraw from the field.” - Hikaru

There were other important points during that wonderfully interesting talk. Thank you Luke! And thank you AIN Watch Party team!

“Yes And, baby.” I love this show.

Ted Lasso: Season 4 | 4x7 | Ted Teaches Alice "Yes And..." Season 4 Episode 7 "Yes & Baby" ...

Please allow me to share a beautiful, heartfelt message from one of the medical students. This made me smile.

My talk was about how medical improv can help communication, collaboration, and cognitive pathways in healthcare with the ultimate goal of creating better patient experiences and outcomes. How doctors can listen, respond, and adapt using improv principles.

And if the message resonated with even one person in the room, then it was worth it.

Thank you, Alecks.



Message shared with permission.

Such a joyful post-lecture improv session with clinical clerks, medical interns, residents, and consultants. Thank you, UERM. This has been a dream homecoming for me. And thank you, Department of Medicine, for the opportunity to speak at the 18th Gonzalo Austria Memorial Lecture. Much love!

The clinic is open and the doctors are in! PlayMD held an intro to impro taster workshop for the UERM community right after the 18th Gonzalo Austria Memorial Lecture last Tuesday. Got the participants experiencing a little tachypnea, tachycardia, and a whole lot of gelogenic engagement!

Miss niyo ba kami? Kasi miss namin kayo! May niluluto ang Bimpo at excited kami ikuwento why we do what we do at why we love what we do. This coming October 17. Kitakits!