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Abstract
In this paper, the authors reflect on their experience of engaging faculty members as members of reflective panels following the screening of films used as part of a longitudinal narrative reflective practice module in the pre-clinical, Patient-Centred Care course in first and second year at the University of Alberta. Having experienced both highly reflective and more didactic panelist approaches over the course of several years’ experience, the authors wonder about what medical students may be ‘reading between the lines’ when they experience curricula that is not always consistent with stated curriculum aims and intentions. The authors suggest the value of closely considering both the texts and contexts that comprise medical education, particularly in relation to how these may shape medical student socialization into the profession of medicine.
Acknowledgements
The authors extend their sincere thanks to pre-clinical Patient-Centred Care course co-ordinators, Dr Kinga Kowalewska-Grochowska and Dr Gary Hnatko who generously supported this narrative reflective practice module initiative in the undergraduate curriculum. Particular thanks is also extended to Drs Jasneet Parmar and Ginetta Salvaggio. These physician colleagues recognized the potential value of film as a means of fostering narrative reflection and narrative inquiry amongst their students, particularly in the primary care areas of care of the elderly, geriatric medicine and in the care of disadvantaged populations. We are indebted to our administrative support staff in the undergraduate medical education office who ensured the audio visual technology was in working order for each film viewing. Our thanks to Dr Tracey Hillier, Associate Dean, Curriculum for reading an earlier version of this article and providing helpful comments. Last but not least, we thank our faculty panelists, and the students whose participation has not only contributed, hopefully to their learning, but also our own.
Notes
1. We invite the students to reflect on the lives of the patients and health care professionals depicted in the film, and consider their own values, also past and current experiences, as they begin to make sense of their emerging identity as beginning physicians. We ask them to reflect on an aspect of the film that significantly struck them, or stayed with them, and inquire into its meaning for them. Two days following the film screening session, the students read their written narratives aloud in facilitated small groups. Andrews (Citation2012) eloquently described the significance of having students read their narrative aloud in relation to impact on group process. The framework for the subsequent facilitated narrative inquiry is similar to the ‘close reading’ approach described by Charon (Citation2006, see Chapter 8). Wondering questions are used tentatively by facilitators to prompt further reflection. Following Clandinin and Connelly (Citation2000), inquiry dimensions include consideration of time, place and sociality (or relationships). Other students in the group are invited to reflect on or inquire into the students’ narrative response.
2. Although we focus on the role of our faculty panelists in this paper, we also very much appreciate the contributions of faculty members who attend our film screenings and facilitate our small groups as integral to this innovative pedagogical process.
3. We have found that encouraging students to share their immediate, personal reflections in a large lecture theatre at this point in the process tends to close down the interactive discussion. In the main, the students appreciate the time and space afforded to them to consider their own personal reflections, preferring to share these in their small groups.
4. An abiding favourite among many medical educators, see for example Alexander (Citation2002).