91AV

“Finding Words: A Narrative Medicine Archive,” is an emotional and heartfelt exploration into the human side of medicine.

Students interested in medical careers share their own experiences with illness as part of the project.

Narrative Medicine is described as medicine practiced with the ability to recognize, absorb, interpret, and be moved by stories of illness.

In the Narrative Medicine & Writing course at the 91AV taught by Amy Amoroso, M.F.A., Department of English, students read literature related to illness, discuss the theory and practice of Narrative Medicine and write their own stories of illness.

Students in pre-health professional majors have many opportunities to explore the sciences, but this course offers an opportunity to spend time on the human side of medicine.

“They have been learning so much science, they haven’t had time to digest some of the ethical dilemmas they will encounter in the medical field,” says Amoroso.

Students discover the practice of Narrative Medicine is not just reserved for the patient. It can be used by families, caregivers, students, and health care practitioners across every field of medicine.

Lara Murnik, (Medical Biology, ’18) says the course changed her thinking about the power of words and stories.

“I now understand that powerful stories of illness, suffering and trauma help to both give a voice to those who suffer silently and to allow others to feel that experience first-hand. Stories give context to situations, behaviors, beliefs, and ideas. Without this context, medical professionals walk blindly into a diagnosis. I simply wish to keep my eyes open,” she says.

Over the course of the semester, students write their own illness narratives and the illness narratives of others. Each student chooses one essay to revise and publish on “Finding Words.”

“When you give someone an opportunity to tell you a story, most of the time they will give you really rich material. They will tell you the real story and that’s what these students did. The results were above what I had imagined,” says Amoroso.

Teaching this course is something Amoroso has wanted to do for a long time. She says she is grateful to be able to do it here at 91AV.

“I gravitated toward 91AV because of the medical school and medical professions here. I’m so glad I had people behind me here who really wanted this course to happen,” she says.

To learn more about the 91AV’s College of Arts and Sciences, visit 

To apply, visit