Narrative sensitivity in medical students: A mixed-method exploration

Abstract

Objective. The paper introduced the concept of narrative sensitivity. The study aimed to identify the facets of narrative sensitivity (NS) in medical students and assess the changes in NS during undergraduate medical education.Methods. A mixed-method study was designed to explore NS. Data was collected from a group of students in their second year (N=50) and then in their fifth year (N=42) of their undergraduate education. The data was analysed using thematic analysis in accordance with consensual qualitative research. A coding system was developed to identify and refine the facets of NS. The theme frequencies were counted for each year separately and Fisher’s exact test was conducted to assess the statistical significance of NS change between both years.Results. Nine themes related to NS were identified in the data. The frequency of themes indicated a trend towards a decline in NS between the second and fifth years of undergraduate education. However, the exploratory nature of this study and the small sample size did not allow any definitive conclusions regarding changes over time.Conclusions. The findings raised doubts about the outcome of undergraduate education based on a narrow biomedical perspective. The study supported the arguments for giving emphasis on the training of communication skills including narrative sensitivity during medical education.