A small group of third-year medical students and interdisciplinary faculty sit around a table. The students look weary-stethoscopes slung around their necks, white coats slightly rumpled, pockets overflowing with smartphones, pens, scraps of paper, a half-eaten candy bar. They are not sure what to expect, but they are glad to sit down."Tell us a story about one of your patients," an attending physician invites the group.The students exchange uncertain glances. Finally, one takes the plunge. "Patient is a 32-year-old Latino male who presented with-" Another faculty member smiles as she holds up a hand. "That sounds like a case presentation. Tell us a story."So begins an hour-long session in the internal medicine clerkship. One by one, students tell stories about their patients. Faculty and peers listen, eventually question, comment, and probe. The encounter touches on ethical, communication, and relational issues, but its primary goal is to introduce students to the concept of narrative medicine. At its core, the session is designed to help students appreciate the value of attending to the patient's story and realize that when we tell stories about our patients, we are also telling stories about ourselves.

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