[SPR26] Narrative Medicine for Clinicians

Narrative Medicine for Clinicians 

takes Place on April 13, 2026 | from 2pm-5pm eST | Fully Online

Presenter:

Amy Boesky is a Professor of English at Boston College and founder and director of BC's minor in Medical Humanities, Health, and Culture. From 2017-2023, she served as Chair of BC's English Department. In addition to teaching medical humanities, creative writing, and disability studies, she co-founded and co-directed BC's Park Street Speaker Series in Health, Humanity, and Ethics (2017-present). She has also co-chaired Harvard's Mahindra Center seminar on Critical Health Humanities. Currently at work on a collection of interlinked essays of memory, Amy is the author of What We Have (Penguin/Gotham Books), a memoir about her family's experience with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer, and contributing editor of The Story Within, a collection of personal essays on genetics and identity (Johns Hopkins Univ. Press). In addition to academic articles on risk and genetic identity, she has published creative nonfiction in Memoir (and), Michigan Quarterly Review, Gulf Coast, and Kenyon Review Online. Recent scholarship includes articles on conceptions of risk; re-thinking terminology in relation to Alzheimer's; how risk and loss are constructed in breast cancer narrative; and the narrative function of diagnosis. 

Description:

In this 3-hour introductory workshop, Prof. Boesky (English and Medical Humanities) will introduce key tenets of Narrative Medicine in a hands-on workshop exploring principles of close reading, narrative competencies, and reflective writing. Prior to our meeting, participants will read a short story (Jhumpa Lahiri, "A Temporary Matter"). In the first part of the workshop, we'll talk together about the story and use our analysis as a springboard to theorize about both the importance and challenges of being open to the stories of others. That shared work will culminate in some central tenets of narrative competency and its importance for people working in health care and related fields. After a short break, we'll work in small groups, responding to prompts and writing about ideas central to Lahiri's story (loss; inability to listen; the consequences of grief; what support can look like). The second part of the workshop will distill out the central tenets about reflective writing and its centrality to building compassion and deepening our capacity to listen effectively. 

This offering is made possible in part through collaboration with the Kern National Network for Flourishing in Health (KNN). The KNN is a movement dedicated to advancing flourishing across the health ecosystem. Through research-based strategies that promote character, caring, and practical wisdom, the KNN partners with organizations to unlock their potential and build cultures that elevate everyone. Our strengths-based methods combine a robust guiding framework, scholar-practitioner approaches, deep subject matter expertise, and national peer collaboration to solve complex culture and workforce challenges. To learn more, visit the KNN website.

Learning Objectives:

Learning Objective 1: Develop an understanding of the key competencies of Narrative Medicine.

Learning Objective 2: Practice close reading skills and apply them to the clinical domain.

Learning Objective 3: Explore the foundations of personal narrative and reflective writing as they apply to clinical practice. 

Timeline and Requirements:

The course will take place virtually on 4/13/26 from 2pm to 5pm EST.

CE Sponsorship:

University Counseling Services of Boston College is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. As a co-sponsor of this program, University Counseling Services of Boston College maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Participants will be eligible to receive 3 CE units from the University Counseling Services of Boston College.

This program has been approved for 3 Social Work Continuing Education hours for relicensure, in accordance with 258 CMR. NASW-MA Chapter CE Approval Program Authorization Number D 20019-1.

The Center for Psychological Humanities and Ethics is providing sponsorship for CEUs for Licensed Mental Health Counselors (LMHC). This program has been approved by MaMHCA/MCEAP for 3 CEs.

Fees and Policies: 

Payment is due by credit card at registration. Refunds will be granted only up until registration closes at 12pm on April 13th. No refunds will be granted for errors on the participant's part (such as incorrect name/email upon registration, login failure, scheduling conflicts, etc.).

We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals to engage fully. If you need to request an accommodation or ask a question about accessibility, please contact wcas.cece@bc.edu.

Additional offerings from the Woods College Office of Continuing Education and Community Engagement can be found on our website.