C3 – Narrative Medicine Primer: Reading and Writing for Reflecting and Teaching

Summary

Narrative medicine is a powerful tool for reflection, wellness, team-building, and improved clinical services. A strong narrative practice assists faculty and supervisors in the teaching and clinical settings. During this session we will engage in a narrative medicine activity of reading, writing, and sharing, then explore model narrative medicine curricula that have been applied in clinical settings. Regarding clinical practice, the text “The Principles and Practices of Narrative Medicine”observes that: “Narrative Medicine began as a rigorous intellectual and clinical discipline to fortify healthcare with the capacity to skillfully receive the accounts persons give of themselves–to recognize, absorb, interpret, and be moved to action by the stories of others. It emerged to challenge a reductionistic, fragmented medicine that holds little regard for the singular aspects of a patient’s life and to protest the social injustice of a global healthcare system that countenances tremendous health disparities and discriminatory policies and practices.”(p. 1) In support of wellness, narrative medicine offers a format for reflection and professional development, and is at the heart of wellness for team-based education. As many supervisors and faculty lack formal education in close reading and group facilitation, the need for new skill and knowledge can present obstacles to implementing narrative medicine as a tool in a clinic or training program. This program will present a first exposure to narrative medicine and provide guidance and templates on how to implement this practice in personal, clinical, and teaching settings. Timeline: :00 – :05 Introductions and Overview :05 – :10 Small group outloud reading of either a poem or short story :10 – :25 Small group discussion of the poem or short story :25 – :35 5-minute prompted writing of a reflection (with intro) :35 – :45 Sharing of writing in small groups :45 – :60 Discussion of application to clinical and teaching settings / QA