HUM 1050 - NARRATIVE MEDICINE

credits: 3.0
The care of the sick unfolds in stories. Narrative Medicine advocates for patients to voice their experiences. Doing so hones a patient’s truth: the act of authoring one’s illness in narrative brings the patient and practitioner into a space of discovery about what illness and wellness mean to the patient. Practitioners, delegated with the duty of active listening, gain deeper understanding of being sick. Close reading of these narratives offers practitioners an opportunity to join patients in their experiences. Objectives: A) Critically reflect upon illness shaped by human identity and experience; B) Explain how literature and narrative integrate with the study of medicine; C) Identify how narrative is a location of human connectedness; D) Identify narrative as a means for restorative healing. Method of Instruction: Discussion, books, film, break out exercises, Ted Talks and videos online. Method of Evaluation: Reading quizzes, midterm exam, final paper and participation (participates in discussions about course material, collaborates with peers in class exercises, asks questions, abides by attendance policy within allowable limits).