About Narrative Based Medicine
Narrative-based medicine is premised on the understanding that, knowingly and unknowingly, practitioners and patients together construct narratives over the course of their encounters; that these stories – with their multiple characters, conflicts and desires, subtleties and miscommunications – affect the nature and meaning of health events in all our lives; and that getting better at working with stories of all kinds has a powerful impact on both patient care and physician fulfilment.
Our Programs & Workshops
Foundational Certificate in Narrative-Based Medicine
Jointly led by an expert in narrative-based medicine and an accomplished writer, both of whom have extensive experience working with health professionals, this intensive program is taught in two parts: NBM Principles and Practices focuses on the theory and practice of narrative-based medicine while Writing and Narrative Craft seeks to improve learners’ creative and reflective skills as writers and readers.
Advanced Certificate in Narrative-Based Medicine
Build upon your foundation in Narrative-Based Medicine through the Advanced Certificate in Narrative-Based Medicine. This new offering allows learners to continue exploring their interest in narrative-based medicine through workshops, short programs, special sessions and activities in a wide range of topics and arts based modalities.
Workshops, Short Programs, Special Sessions and Activities
Fall 2023 / Winter 2024 Offerings
Part of the advanced certificate these offerings may be taken on their own.
Team Narrative
Team Narrative is a collective of educators across clinical and humanities disciplines at the University of Toronto who offer lectures and workshops on the role of working with stories in learning and health-related encounters. These sessions are designed to help improve reflective capacity, narrative competence, visual literacy and critical thinking, while emphasizing learner resilience and self-care.