At its core, narrative medicine is an interdisciplinary field that emphasizes the importance of narrative competence in health care. What, exactly, is narrative competence? It is the ability to acknowledge, absorb, and appreciate the stories of others.
The field of narrative medicine is built on the belief that integrating patients’ stories into their care improves the quality of that care and fosters empathy, a component of health care often overlooked in traditional medical practice. Columbia School of Professional Studies’ M.S. in Narrative Medicine (NMED) program offers a compelling proposition for premed students looking to stand out and add critical depth to their medical education. The field of narrative medicine, while increasingly practiced today, was founded at Columbia University by Dr. Rita Charon, who coined the term in a publication back in 2000.
The curriculum is carefully crafted to cater to the evolving needs of modern health-care professionals. It encompasses various disciplines including literature, philosophy, creative writing, and bioethics. This interdisciplinary approach is designed so that students can better understand the patient experience beyond physical symptoms and explore the humanistic side of the medical field early in their careers. This gives them a solid foundation in ethical understanding and the communication skills indispensable in clinical practice.
“Some of the foundational skills honed in the study of narrative medicine are also those required to be a clinician who meets the competencies identified by the Association of American Medical Colleges [AAMC],” says Carmelina Price, a lecturer in the program. “Among those competencies is cultural awareness, which values diversity and appreciates how historical, sociocultural, political, and economic factors affect interactions, behaviors, and well-being.”
Premed students often join the NMED program to consider their identity as care providers through the lens of self-awareness, the suffering of the “other,” and the impact and influence of class, race, gender identity, and politics in health care.
For these students, developing this awareness early on is invaluable.
“An increasing number of medical schools are incorporating narrative medicine into their traditional curricula and valuing applicants with knowledge about or experience in the field,” says Program Director Mary Sormanti. “It sets them apart in a field where technical expertise often overshadows the need for compassionate care.”
The courses are designed to challenge students to think critically about the role of narratives in medicine and explore health care’s ethical dimensions. Students learn to navigate the complex moral landscapes they encounter in practice by analyzing narratives from patients, families, communities, and health-care professionals. With this perspective, program graduates are better equipped to understand patients’ concerns and advocate for their needs.
“Narrative medicine is a powerful platform to advance a career in health care,” said Dr. Deepthiman Gowda, director of clinical practice for Columbia Narrative Medicine. “It situates the entire enterprise of health care in the lived experience of those affected by illness. This is the moral and ethical stance needed for a more equitable and effective health-care system.”
About the Program
Columbia University’’s Master of Science in Narrative Medicine prepares health professionals, writers, and scholars to apply the skills and values of narrative understanding to improve outcomes for both patients and caregivers. It offers a rigorous and in-depth study of close reading of creative texts, illness and disability narratives, narrative ethics, philosophy, creative writing, and other perspectives.
