Article used: Stories in the Service of Making a Better Doctor by Pauline W. Chen, M.D.
I found this article to be
uplifting and inspiring. My husband is currently in medical school at Edward
Via College of Osteopathic Medicine and the students there are overwhelmed in
their studies. They are given an infinite amount of information to take in and
learn, however they are not enlightened on the humanity side of it. Rather,
they are merely presented with data and facts without any underlying compassion
or reasoning. Of course, with all that they are to learn, it is hard to look
beyond just the information. Therefore, I feel that it is important to
incorporate a little of this during their residency, revealing to them their
true reason for working as hard as they do.
Sometimes things
such as narrative medicine can help further one’s understanding of pertinent
information. If a picture is provided of specific scenarios and the outcomes,
it will likely remain within one’s knowledge as it is relatable. Like the
article states, by reading actual stories from other doctors or residents and
their encounters, medical students can relate to the situation and develop a
better understanding behind the medicine. Not all situations have a rewarding
outcome, but even the stories of these situations hold the power of influence
over one’s emotional intelligence. It is important for healthcare professionals
to understand that not all lives can be saved. Doctors will do everything in
their power to determine the problem and render proper solutions, however they
cannot always save their patients. Thus, by reading or reviewing real stories
from these situations, residents will become better prepared in how to handle and
cope with such situations.
I understand that residents have
more than enough on their plates. Because of this, I feel they should have the
option to incorporate narrative medicine into their agendas. This way, if they
already have too much going on it won’t interfere, but if they feel they can
handle more it will provide them with the option of enriching their
understanding. Also, it helps break up their routine and introduces something
different than the typical rounds. Narrative medicine does have the power to
strengthen and support the compassionate instincts of doctors. By engaging
this, doctors will improve their patient skills and will ultimately improve
their careers.
Thus, this article portrays that
modern medicine is attempting to incorporate compassion and humanity into their
training and agenda. By introducing narrative medicine, residents will develop
a deeper understanding behind their work. They will gather a feel for their
field of study, and have the ability to analyze both as a doctor and as a human
being. There is nothing simple about becoming a doctor. I have seen this
firsthand. My husband works twenty hours most days just to keep his head above
water. Medical school is among one of the most challenging obstacles in life.
Because of the workload, they are not given the opportunity to view their field
firsthand or through actual experiences. Thus, during residency, I feel it
would definitely benefit to incorporate narrative medicine.
References
Chen, P.W. (2008) Stories in the service of making a better
doctor. Retrieved from
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/24/health/chen10-23.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1&
