What is Narrative Medicine?
You might be wondering, “That sounds nice, but what is Narrative Medicine?” A fair question.
Narrative Medicine is an interdisciplinary approach founded by Dr. Rita Charon in the early 2000s, which later led to the creation of the Master of Science program at Columbia University. It is a discipline that bridges the humanities and clinical practice, aiming to enhance communication, foster empathy, and strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration in healthcare.
Narrative Medicine has a bilateral approach: it empowers communication from patient to clinician and from clinician to patient, while also improving dialogue and understanding among healthcare professionals themselves.
Why it Matters?
Evidence shows that narrative skills improve communication, trust, job satisfaction, and patient outcomes, while helping reduce burnout. Narrative Medicine strengthens empathy, communication, and reflective capacity — essential tools for clinicians working in high-pressure environments. By creating space for reflection, narrative approaches support well-being, resilience, and more compassionate, person-centered care.
Key benefits:
Supports burnout reduction and clinician resilience
Enhances communication and team cohesion
Strengthens compassionate, person-centered care
Creates reflective space within busy clinical environments
How is applied?
Through close reading, reflective writing, and facilitated dialogue, clinicians learn to listen more deeply, witness patients’ stories, and see beyond the chart. These skills are developed through tested Narrative Medicine methodologies, delivered in multiple formats, including:
A series of guided workshops led by trained facilitators
Educational and training programs within university medical schools
Professional development training for healthcare professionals across disciplines
