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Tip of the week: Write narrative descriptions of the doctor-patient encounter

Residency Program Insider, November 29, 2011

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Help residents take a meta-perspective by asking them to consider alternative points of view of their relational behavior. Narratives are one way to work on this level of understanding. For example, a faculty member can ask the learner questions, such as “How might the patient describe this visit to a close friend?” or “What would a ‘fly on the wall’ observe during this visit?”

Although narratives are constructions, faculty and students can glean much from the degree of coherence, balance, and complexity they contain. It is not likely that we could develop a story in which we make ourselves a three-dimensional character without undertaking some level of self-examination. Narratives can be particularly useful when used in small groups and in conjunction with video review exercises.

This week’s tip is from A Practical Guide to Teaching and Assessing the ACGME Core Competencies by Elizabeth A. Rider, MSW, MD, FAAP and Ruth H. Nawotniak, MS, C-TAGME.
 

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