What is Narrative Medicine?

Narrative medicine, or the use of art, music and writing to share stories and process experiences in medicine, is a novel field that shows great promise for patient, caregiver, and provider wellbeing. Dr. Rita Charon and Dr. Elizabeth Lahti, two heroines in the field, have crafted a space for medical professionals and others to process the clinical experience. Through the Narrative Medicine Program at Columbia and the Northwest Narrative Medicine Collaborative, Dr. Charon and Dr. Lahti are engaging individuals nationally and internationally with the narrative pedagogy. While narrative medicine has been established since the early 2000's, medicine in general and rheumatology in particular are only now, in a post-CoVID era, capitalizing on the value of this narrative arena.

Narrative Medicine and Pediatric Rheumatology

Narrative medicine can positively impact pediatric rheumatology patients, caregivers and providers alike. Together, we aim to explore the impact of narrative medicine and to promote, coordinate and direct research efforts around narrative medicine in pediatric rheumatology. Our Childhood Arthritis & Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA) Narrative Medicine Workgroup has been established since 2021 and has been working to bring narrative medicine to the pediatric rheumatology realm. By incorporating patients, caregivers, healthcare providers and staff under the CARRA umbrella, we offer a unified space for all members to engage in potential research avenues integrating narrative medicine techniques with the aim of improving patient and provider health.

Explore our website and learn how to craft an intervention or find additional narrative medicine-related resources.

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