A focus on storytelling at one medical school allows patients with dementia to relate to the medical students who may one day provide their care, and vice versa…
Throughout antiquity, the human animal has told stories to make sense of the world, from perhaps the flickering campfire lore of prehistoric cavemen to the dialogues of Socrates to the parables of Jesus.
Now, medical educators believe the ancient art of storytelling may serve as a mental aid for medical students learning to empathize with dementia patients they’ll treat as doctors. Participation among students at Penn State College of Medicine improves perceptions of people affected by the condition, according to researchers there.
BY MATTHEW MIENTKA
