As Dr. Naomi Rosenberg opened the first event in the Lewis Katz School of Medicine (Katz)’s Life in Medicine Speaker Series on January 30, she shared that “writers, like doctors, understand that sensitivity and compassion are our assets – not our liabilities.” A lifelong writer called to a career in medicine, that belief drew her immediately to Temple’s Narrative Medicine program when she arrived as a resident in emergency medicine. She had spent years considering medicine and storytelling, from writing about emergency care in the New York Times to working on global health initiatives with Partners In Health. She understood that while medical training prepared doctors for the technical demands of the job, it often failed to address the psychological and ethical weight of the work. She wanted to change that.
Now, as the newly appointed Assistant Dean for Narrative Medicine and Health Humanities at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine (Katz), Rosenberg is building on the strong foundation of the Narrative Medicine Program and expanding its reach. A Temple emergency physician since 2016, she has helped shape a curriculum that integrates storytelling into medical education, strengthening doctors’ ability to connect with patients and explore the complexity of their profession. The speaker series—her latest effort — is part of a broader grant-funded initiative that brings nationally recognized writers to Katz while supporting a yearlong writing workshop for faculty, residents, students, and staff. Designed to deepen the role of narrative medicine in clinical training, the program creates structured opportunities for reflection, reinforcing the idea that while medical education prepares doctors for the technical demands of the job, it must also help them hone their ability to recognize and engage with these details.
A Partnership in Storytelling
The inaugural event featured New York Times best-selling author and Temple faculty member Liz Moore. Moore, the director of the Master of Fine Arts program in Temple’s College of Liberal Arts, is a literary force. Her 2020 novel, Long Bright River, set against the backdrop of the addiction crisis in Philadelphia’s Kensington neighborhood, was a national bestseller and will debut as a series on Peacock this March. Her latest novel, The God of the Woods, published this past summer, also became a New York Times bestseller, further cementing her reputation as one of the country’s most compelling contemporary novelists.
Rosenberg and Moore’s collaboration began in the classroom, where Rosenberg, a current student in Temple’s MFA program, took one of Moore’s creative writing courses. From the start, they recognized a shared purpose—an understanding that storytelling has the power to transform not only literature, but medicine itself. “From our very first conversations, it was clear that there was immense value in bringing creative writing and medicine together in a more structured way,” said Rosenberg.
That initial recognition quickly turned into action. When Rosenberg began developing the grant proposal for the Narrative Medicine Program, she brought Moore in as a collaborator. Together, they built a vision for a yearlong initiative that would provide writing workshops for faculty, residents, and students while also opening a public-facing speaker series that would elevate the program’s reach. “Liz was instrumental in shaping this initiative from the very beginning,” Rosenberg said. “Her insight, experience, and passion for storytelling have helped expand the way we think about narrative medicine at Temple.”
Moore, too, saw the potential immediately. “Stories have the ability to humanize, to heal, to create empathy,” she said. “Whether you’re a doctor, a nurse, a patient, or a caregiver, the ability to tell and understand stories can make a profound difference in the experience of illness and care.”
The Art of Paying Attention
A recurring theme throughout the evening was the art of paying attention—a skill that links storytelling and medicine in powerful ways. Moore, in conversation with Rosenberg and members of the audience, answered questions about her writing process, character development, and where she draws inspiration for her stories. The discussion repeatedly circled back to the importance of detail: a writer must have a disciplined approach to detail to best serve their characters.
“I never begin with theme,” Moore shared. “I write to characters and let them drive the story, which allows theme to emerge organically and authentically. If I set out to make a statement, I believe it would show and ultimately feel disingenuous.”
The parallel in medicine—the critical importance of centering the patient at all times—is clear and forms the cornerstone of a Katz education. A good physician, notes Rosenberg, must recognize and appreciate the aspects of a patient’s experience that go beyond the chart, including social determinants of health, status of at-home support, and the circumstances surrounding a patient’s care—all of which are critical to outcomes.
“Katz emphasizes these principles throughout its medical curriculum, and engagement with the humanities helps sharpen the skills needed to keep them in focus,” Rosenberg said. “Creative and expressive exercise can help physicians hone their ability to engage with these details and incorporate a more thoughtful and comprehensive approach to patient care.”
For M4 student Nayja Williams, the evening reaffirmed her decision to attend Katz. “I’ve always been a writer, and for the longest time, I thought I had to choose between my passion for medicine and my passion for the humanities,” she said. “Finding the Narrative Medicine Program at Temple showed me that I didn’t have to choose. Tonight, affirmed for me that you can practice thoughtful, compassionate medicine and be a writer who invites other people into your world and into your thinking.”
M2 student Ayse Guvenilir also reflected on how the program influences her education. “Every patient has a story—realities and circumstances that go far beyond their symptoms or diagnoses,” she said. “Understanding that will help me be a better doctor. It’s a reminder to be compassionate and be kind and be open, which will help me to give the best possible care to my future patients.”
Honoring the Past, Building the Future
The Narrative Medicine Program’s growth and recognition is success that rests on the vision of its earliest champions. Recognizing the program’s evolution and the leaders who shaped its foundation is essential to understanding its impact today.
In her remarks, Amy J. Goldberg, the Marjorie Joy Katz Dean, spoke to that legacy. “This program didn’t appear overnight,” she said. “Without the vision of Dr. Larry Kaiser, whose leadership as former dean and CEO of Temple University Health System laid the foundation, and Mike Vitez, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and founding Director of the Narrative Medicine Program, we wouldn’t have this meaningful space for these conversations. Thanks to their efforts, we have a program that brings storytelling into medicine in a profound way.”
For M2 student and poet Anushka Shah, the program has created more than just an academic opportunity—it has fostered a sense of belonging. “As a poet, finding a group of people here who are just as dedicated to storytelling and the humanities has enriched my education in ways I couldn’t have imagined,” she said.
Acknowledging the program’s development and growth, Goldberg also noted the series’ reflection of the school’s broader mission to prepare physicians who are not only technically skilled but also deeply connected to their patients. “Temple physicians are changemakers,” she said. “Programs like this—programs that ask us to reflect, to listen, to share—are vital to shaping the next generation of compassionate, thoughtful doctors.”
Looking Ahead: Continuing the Conversation
As the Life in Medicine Speaker Series unfolds, it offers more opportunities for the Katz community and beyond to explore the important intersection of medicine and the humanities. The next event, scheduled for March 24 at 5 p.m., will feature Hakim Bellamy, Albuquerque’s inaugural Poet Laureate and an award-winning author, actor, and educator. With a career spanning poetry, public service, and journalism, Bellamy reflects the series’ commitment to bringing writers from diverse disciplines to broaden how program participants can explore and express their experiences.
The event will also include collaboration with the North Philadelphia Campus chapter of the Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA), further emphasizing the series’ focus on partnerships that strengthen its reach and impact. “Collaboration has been a driving force behind this series,” said Dr. Rosenberg. “From the grant’s inception to working with student organizations, each event shows the power of bringing new voices into the field of medicine.”
As the Life in Medicine Speaker Series continues, participants will have more opportunities to reflect, learn, and grow through conversations with acclaimed writers. For students like Williams, Guvenilir, and Shah, the impact of the series is already palpable. “These conversations make you think differently about what it means to be a doctor,” Williams said. “We spend so much time memorizing facts, practicing procedures—but what we do is ultimately about people, about their stories. This series reminds us of that.”