About Literary AMWA
The effective practice of healthcare requires the ability to recognize, absorb, interpret, and act on the stories and experiences of others, particularly patients. This ability, known as narrative competence, enables the physician to practice medicine with deeper empathy, reflection, professionalism, and trustworthiness. Applying this competence in practice is termed: narrative medicine [1].
Narrative medicine can change the way we practice by focusing on the emotional integrity of a patient’s story and how we react as humane clinicians. Practicing narrative medicine enables practitioners to:
- Connect with patients throughout their illness and suffering
- Reflect upon their individual medical journeys
- Ceate dialogue and empower relationships with colleagues
- Promote public health advocacy in today’s society.
Literary AMWA fosters expression through fiction, nonfiction, and poetry writing from women physicians and physicians-in-training who hope to foster healing through storytelling.
[1] CHARON, R. (2001). NARRATIVE MEDICINE: A MODEL FOR EMPATHY, REFLECTION, PROFESSION, AND TRUST. JAMA , 1897-1902.
2025-2026 Meeting Schedule
- October 6, 12 PM EST
- November 3, 12 PM EST
- December 1, 8 PM EST
- January 5, 8 PM EST
- February 2, 12 PM EST
- March 2, 12 PM EST
- April 6, 8 PM EST
- May 4, 8 PM EST
Questions?
Email us at [email protected].
Resources and Reading Lists
Reading List for the Aspiring Physician Writer
- Imaginative Writing: The Elements of Craft by Janet Burroway
- Master Class on Fiction Writing: Techniques from Austen, Hemingway, and the Other Greats by Adam Sexton
- A Poetry Handbook by Mary Oliver
- Reading Like a Writer: A Guide for People Who Love Books and for Those Who Want to Write Them by Francine Prose
- Writing Alone and with Others by Pat Schneider
- Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within by Natalie Goldberg
- Other resources from the Gotham Writers Workshop
Narrative Medicine and Patient Confidentiality
“Writing About Patients: Is it Ethical?”
“Doctors Can Risk Lawsuits When Writing About Patients”
“Healing Narrative-Ethics and Writing About Patients”
“Should Doctors Write About Patients?”
“Physician/Writer: Dual and Dueling Responsibilities”
“When Doctors Pick up the Pen — Patient-Doctor Confidentiality Breaches in Publishing”
Creative Opportunities
Woman-to-Woman Medicine – collecting memoirs from women medical students and their physician mentors. These stories should explore how mentorships have impacted women’s journeys through medicine.
Openhearted – University of Washington School of Medicine Medical Humanities and Narrative Medicine Interest Group showcases physician artwork and stories.
If you are interested in editing an issue of Literary AMWA,
please contact [email protected].