My Life, My Story: Integrating a Life Story Narrative Component Into Medical Student Curricula

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Narrative Medicine
• Patient-Centered Care

Background:

• Medical students often face burnout and declining empathy during training.
• The My Life, My Story (MLMS) project uses narrative medicine to address these issues.
• MLMS aims to enhance patient-centered care competencies, particularly empathy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To integrate the My Life, My Story (MLMS) narrative medicine project into a medical school curriculum.
• To assess the impact of MLMS on medical students' empathy and burnout.
• To evaluate student perceptions of the MLMS intervention.

Main Methods:

• The MLMS project was adapted and implemented into the required curriculum at Brown University's medical school.
• First- and third-year medical students conducted life story interviews with patients or community volunteers.
• Student perceptions, empathy changes, and burnout symptoms were assessed post-intervention.

Main Results:

• 240 medical students participated, spending an average of 70.7 minutes on interviews.
• A majority of students found MLMS a valuable use of time (77%) and effective in fostering patient connection (79%).
• Most students (69%) felt the project helped them recognize patients' thoughts and feelings.

Conclusions:

• This study demonstrates the implementation of a life story interview intervention in a required medical school curriculum outside the VA system.
• The My Life, My Story (MLMS) project shows potential for improving clinical empathy skills in medical trainees.
• MLMS provides a structured approach for medical students to gain a deeper understanding of their patients' experiences.