Effective communication is a fundamental skill in clinical medicine; however, traditional approaches often fail to equip learners with an ability to authentically and empathically engage with the complexities of real patients' experiences. Narratology education has been proposed as a pedagogical framework for augmenting empathy and patient-centred communication in medical students. In April 2025, we undertook a mixed-methods pilot study to evaluate the impact of a one-week narratology education module on second-year undergraduate medical students at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), Dublin. The module involved close reading, group viewings, facilitated small-group workshops, and whole-group discussions in response to narrative works by Irish writers and storytellers, followed by written personal reflections. At the outset and conclusion of the module, each student undertook a clinical history with a simulated patient (SP) portraying early-stage dementia. SPs assessed each student's empathy and communication using the CARE Measure.
Age range
18 Years
Sex
ALL
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AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
Change in total Consultation and Relational Empathy (CARE) Measure score as assessed by Simulated Patients
Timeframe: 1 week
Change in individual Consultation and Relational Empathy (CARE) Measure score items' scores as assessed by Simulated Patients
Timeframe: 1 week