Sharing Stories Provides Strength and Wisdom

When future doctors tell each other stories, patients benefit in the long run. Under the direction of Medical School faculty members David Power, Ken Olson, and Michael Kim, third-and fourth-year students in the Primary Care Clerkship are gathering to share tales from their rotations.

“It’s almost like an emotional catharsis; you realize you’re not alone in what you experience,” says Samantha Pace, a fourth-year student.

Pioneering these reflection exercises is Power, who says his main motivation came from a presentation by his colleague Brad Benson, the Med-Peds Residency program director. Benson’s presentation elaborated on evaluating learners and how he introduced the concept of self-reflection into his residency program. Having residents reflect on their experiences with a patient and then share this with the program director allowed for a more universal evaluation of the resident.

“It struck me that, for med students, they’ve been offered little opportunity to share their personal experiences,” says Power. “Knowing that students do have strong emotions in day-to-day contact situations, this is something we could attempt to place in the clerkship. In primary care, there are a lot of faculty who support such reflection on what goes on with patients in the exam room.”

Thus far, the story-telling sessions have been well evaluated by students. “When people come to them with the appropriate frame of mind and are open to whatever happens, it can be a great way to form trust among colleagues,” says Christy Boraas, a fourth-year medical student. “You see a side of classmates that you hadn’t expected or seen previously.”

Prior to attending, each student is asked to commit his or her reflection to writing. Olson, a community physician with Park Nicollet who graciously volunteers his time with the students, gives a brief introduction and the students are then divided into small groups, each containing a faculty tutor. Once in small groups, students share their previously-written reflections.

“It gives you time to think back and it helps you not lose the human side of medicine, as well as identify with other people who are going through the same things,” says Pace, who affirmed that these sessions serve as a valuable learning tool.

As for the content of the tales, “several themes have emerged, particularly in stories emerging from primary care settings: social inequities, uninsured patients, the challenges of mental illness,” says Power. “In many ways, we should write a book about it - they’re incredible stories.”

--Emily Jensen