Part seven: The role of narrative in the everyday practice of medicine developing narrative competence.

It has been the thesis of this symposium that medicine is a narrative enterprise. We have presented our case that the work in is largely narrative. If that is true, then one of the goals of medical education should be to create methods of improving the narrative competencies in learners and practitioners of medicine.

The logic of diagnosis: Peirce, literary narrative, and the history of present illness.

This essay presents a theoretical construct upon which to base a working--"pragmatic"--definition of the History of Present Illness (HPI). The major thesis of this essay is that analysis of both the logic of hypothesis formation and literary narrative--especially detective stories--facilitates understanding of the diagnostic process. The essay examines three elements necessary to a successful development of a patient's HPI: the logic of hypothesis formation, based upon the work of the philosopher-logician, Charles Sanders Peirce; the organization of knowledge in relation to structures of narrative; and the feedback necessary to the successful physician-interviewer.

Helping medical students understand postpartum psychosis through the prism of "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman.

Objective: We assessed the use of literature to illustrate a postpartum depression lecture.

Methods: Medical students and faculty facilitators were surveyed after small group discussions.

Results: Students' ratings and comments were positive, and faculty comments were neutral to positive.