Leonard Bloom, MDCM, CCFP, FCFP, Department of Family Medicine,

University of Ottawa

How Does Narrative Medicine Help My Teaching?

Disclosure of no conflict of interest:I do not have an affiliation (financial or otherwise) with a pharmaceutical, medical device or communications organization.

OBJECTIVES

At the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Describe key concepts in Narrative Medicine and reflect on their value in teaching a patient-centered approach.2. Select narrative-based materials from resources in the curriculum, provided in the workshop or from their own experiences that can be used to enhance their teaching in a variety of educational settings3. Apply Narrative Medicine teaching methodology in at least one educational setting

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“The problem with communication is the

illusion that it has taken place.”

George Bernard Shaw

Language Creates Meaning

• A Medical History is expressed in Language

• Illness separates us from the normal flow of life and requires new stories

• The story emerges in the dialogue and interaction between patient and physician (words and gesture).

• Training in reading Literature allows for broader diagnostic possibilities

“If we are on target in viewing a somatized symptom as the public performance of an unspeakable dilemma, then we should expect the freeingof expression to relieve a person’s symptom”.

(Griffith and Griffith, 1994)

What is the unspeakable dilemma?

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Literature Creates Perspective

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Ms WM’s son committed suicide and was found hanging by his daughter. There had been marital discord between husband and wife but the death brought his mother and her daughter-in-law closer together. I suggested reading Dimensions by Alice Munro: Ms WM read not only the story but the whole book.

The sins of the fathers…

An Eleven Year Old with a Skin Rash

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Patient’s Voice

Ms. Emily Mackenzie, 20 years old, my patient for many years. She had been unable to attend school for two years.

She directed me to Hello Poetry web site and her poem :

mental illness http://hellopoetry.com/poem/332773/mental-illness/

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Narrative Medicine: Def’n

“Medicine practiced with the narrative competency to recognize, interpret and be moved to action by the predicament of others.”

(Charon, 2001)

Humanities Web Page

• www.med.uottawa.ca/sim/data/Humanities/Humanities_index.htmhttp://www.med.uottawa.ca/sim/data/Humanities/Humanities_index.htm

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Your Turn

Morning Song:Sylvia Plath, 1932 – 1963

Hills Like White Elephants• By Ernest Hemingway First published In: Men Without Women, published by1927 Charles Scribner and Sons

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Your Turn

“Saying Hello”

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The End

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