Join the Northwest Narrative Medicine Collaborative for a personalized, interactive narrative medicine workshop. You will participate in large and small group activities designed to teach practical skills, and support collaboration and innovation among learners from diverse healthcare experiences. We welcome healthcare professionals, patients, caregivers, and artists who are advocates for telling and receiving stories of illness and health in our communities. At this workshop you will learn and practice narrative competence, contribute to and participate in narrative exercises, and develop narrative medicine activities to implement in your own health settings and communities.

Northwest Narrative Medicine Collaborative is committed to training and supporting a group of individuals who come from diverse professional and personal backgrounds, work in a variety of health settings, and are members of communities whose stories are not always represented in dominant health narratives; a group who will put the training into practice in their own communities and be committed to collaborating with others.

This workshop is limited to 50 participants. Narrative Medicine Facilitator Training was originally planned as an in-person weekend event, but was reimagined as a unique online experience during the pandemic. We continue to adapt this experience to meet the needs of participants with different access needs and ability to travel. This year we will offer more in person experiences during the training in Portland, OR. Participants will have access to pre-course digital materials and support on October 1st.

This program is supported by the OHSU Division of Hospital Medicine.

Learn more about the Northwest Narrative Medicine Collaborative at our website nwnmcollaborative.org.

General Registration $250
General Registration + Continuing Education Credit* $500
Student Registration $75 (limited number available)

NWNMC is committed to training facilitators from all socioeconomic backgrounds. Sliding fee scale and scholarships available for demonstrated need. Please contact [email protected] to inquire.

*This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of OHSU School of Medicine and Northwest Narrative Medicine Collaborative. The OHSU School of Medicine is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Credit: Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine designates this live activity for a maximum of 18.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Who can receive AMA PRA Category 1 Credits? Physicians, Nurse Practitioners, Registered Nurses, Physician Assistants, Certified Nurse Midwife, Licensed Social Workers, Pharmacy (in Oregon).

Important information for Nurse Practitioners and Registered Nurses. For the purpose of recertification, the American Nurses Credentialing Center accepts AMA PRA Category 1 Credit issued by organizations accredited by the ACCME. For the purposes of relicensure the Oregon State Board of Nursing accepts AMA PRA Category 1 Credit for attendance at structured learning activities offered by organizations (in this case OHSU, Division of CME) accredited by the ACCME.

Often researchers, PharmDs, Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists, and Chiropractors can accept the AMA PRA Category 1 Credit TM as an equivalent as long as the topic is relevant to the applicant's field or discipline. If you have doubts whether an activity will qualify for CE, contact your board prior to registering for the course. All other questions regarding CE, please direct to [email protected].

Narrative medicine is a practice in which we recognize, absorb, metabolize, and allow ourselves to be moved by stories of health and illness. Through narrative practice, we recognize, respect, and nourish those affected by illness—patients and caregivers of all kind.

Narrative Medicine is one way to awaken the shared humanity of all people navigating health and illness in our healthcare system. Doing this in community strengthens us individually. NWNMC has a deep interest in bringing the humanities into conversations around health and healing, and to partner with people from communities whose illness experiences are often under told, under heard, or under valued.

Narrative Medicine Facilitator Training teaches the challenging skills of listening, observing, connecting, and leading. Our plenaries offer succinct insights into theory and research, while the small group workshops create space to practice, strengthen, and renew our empathy and curiosity. We model our training on "learn one, do one, teach one" by giving attendees experiential learning, collaboration with experts, and supported creative space. After completing the training, participants will be able to register for the CollabLAB, a monthly workshop space for idea cultivation and collaborative feedback.

We welcome individuals and teams who are interested in learning narrative medicine skills, and who want to put those skills to use by creating and leading narrative medicine experiences in their own environments. We welcome all who want to explore their own stories and lift stories that are often overlooked, recognizing that diverse perspectives strengthen any system.

Our past trainings have included patients, physicians, chaplains, nurse practitioners, patient advocates, social workers, at home caregivers, scholars, medical scribes, students, veterinarians, educators, medical residents, health system leaders, writers, artists, psychologists, behavioral health consultants, trauma informed coaches, actors, playwrights, and more. All are welcome.

If you have questions about the training, please email [email protected]