Explore this long-running JAMA series devoted to telling stories about the joys, challenges, and hidden truths of practicing medicine in the modern era.
In this narrative medicine essay, a critical care physician recounts his final visit with his dying grandfather and how the experience helped inform his view of medicine as he began a fellowship in palliative medicine.
In this narrative medicine essay, a neonatologist describes the steps taken to revive distressed neonates after birth, the steps to comfort staff when the battle is lost, and the steps to inform and be present as parents weep, yet wonders how to take the steps needed to process her own pain.
In this narrative medicine essay, a medical student recounts the final days of his father who died of COVID-19 and finds comfort by understanding the uniqueness of his loss and from the universal experience of the millions who also lost loved ones to the virus.
In this narrative medicine essay, a pediatrician describes her dreary routine visit to the local breast imaging center for her annual screening mammogram.
In this narrative medicine essay, a medical resident while pregnant fearlessly takes care of her physical needs while at work, which taught her to take a more open approach to caring for her physical needs that stem from chronic illness.
In this narrative medicine essay, an anesthesiologist shares stories, memories conjured when passing sites in the hospital—the room where his first wife died or the room where his grandson was born—reliving moments of sorrow, moments of joy, moments of learning.
In this narrative medicine essay, a pediatrician who learned the hard secrets of breastfeeding after the birth of her twins shares how her experience transformed her approach to new parents by acknowledging the difficulty and helping them find support.
In this narrative medicine essay, a critical care palliative care physician shares how 2 family members could not communicate their end of life wishes but had engaged in discussions to help guide the family's decisions on their care, which brought comfort, and how as he now faces life-limiting illness these same discussions help him focus on joy rather than fear and grief.
In this narrative medicine essay, a psychiatrist reflects on the lasting effects of her practice after it closes, understanding that its memory will be preserved by her patients.
In this narrative medicine essay, a pediatric hematology-oncology fellow weaves the strands of her life—emotional exhaustion from her first year of fellowship, the death of a friend, challenging bike rides, a husband who listens and doesn’t fix—moments that taken together mend her.
In this narrative medicine essay, a fetal surgery research fellow and a pediatric surgeon consider how the small moments of recognition and kindness offered by and to health care workers bring joy and civility to a stressful environment.
In this narrative medicine essay, a retired family physician recounts the joy and connection she felt in volunteering to administer COVID-19 vaccines after months of pandemic isolation and compares it to the hope she felt receiving the polio vaccine.
In this narrative medicine essay, a psychiatrist ponders whether photographs accompanying a feature article focusing on antiracist efforts will make health care more accessible or will only be used as an image-promoting piece.
In this narrative medicine essay, a pulmonary and critical care physician recounts how experiencing her fiancé’s battle with cancer altered her perceptions about how family members respond when facing terminal illness: “We are never objective when it comes to ourselves or our loved ones.”
In this narrative medicine essay, a palliative medicine physician describes his brother's hospitalization and death from COVID-19. He reflects on his brother's ability to achieve a dignified death because the physicians caring for him honestly assessed his prognosis.
In this narrative medicine essay, a family physician shares her doubts about her positive effect while serving Canadian Indigenous patients but realizes and appreciates the lasting impact her patients had on her.
In this narrative medicine essay, a psychiatrist describes her volunteer role during the COVID-19 pandemic—administering vaccinations in a high school cafeteria.
In this narrative medicine essay, a critical care physician tells how plans for her sister’s kidney transplant halted last year when the COVID-19 pandemic caused the shutdown of most nonurgent medical care services and hopes the system can develop a better process for patients with chronic diseases.
In this narrative medicine essay, an infectious diseases physician recalls the reluctance of some patients with AIDS who feared taking antiretroviral medications, offering the same arguments being raised for refusing COVID vaccinations, and suggests that story telling may be a compelling way to convince people to be vaccinated.
In this narrative medicine essay, a geriatrician describes how his mother and he navigate the last months and days of her life while basking in their mutual love, trust, and respect.
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