Narrative Writing for Medical Students

Doherty, Sarah

Student Work

Narrative Writing for Medical Students

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Narrative medicine (NM) emerged as a reaction to the shortcomings of the biomedical model. There is no accepted definition of NM but the central tenet is that narrative is inherently intertwined in human experience of illness. Medical humanities literature can imply a canonical definition of narrative. Investigating perceptions of narrative within the University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS) revealed advantages to a more generous definition of narrative. Through rhetorical analysis of medical humanities literature, informal interviews with experts and students, and direct participation in a UMMS Writing Elective, this study provides insight into consistencies and misalignments between NM theorized in the literature and NM in practice.

This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

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