Table 1.

Summary of narrative medicine elective.

Course description	Instructors	Use of class time	Sample course material +/− writing prompt	Hour/week
Close reading of contemporary fiction novels	R.C. (internist and literary critic)	Close reading and discussion of novels	“So long, see you tomorrow” by William Maxwell	2
Affective dimensions of practice as experienced by patients and providers	J.A. (psychiatrist)	Discussion of assigned readings, reflective writing exercise and small group discussion of clinical work/writing	“The Ship of Death” by Lawrence Writing exercise: the doctors fear and the patient's fear	2
Fiction writing workshop	N.H. (novelist and writing teacher) W.M. (M.F.A. candidate)	Workshop method for discussion of two student creative writing assignments; discussion of assigned readings	“Everything that Rises Must Converge” by Flannery O'Connor “The Beginnings of Grief” by Adam Haslett Personal creative writing submissions	4
Reflections on critical junctures in the formation of the doctor-self	S.A. (ob/gyn) K.S. (trauma-focused psychotherapist)	Close reading and discussion of assigned and in-class readings, 3–5 min reflective writing to a prompt followed by discussion of writing/clinical work	Excerpts from “The Wounded Storyteller” by Arthur Frank with request to write reflectively on different illness narratives participants had witnessed; excerpts from “The things we carried” by Tim O'Brien with writing prompt: “How to tell a true medical story”	2