Studying to be a medical student

 When I was reading the Call of Stories by Robert Coles, I really enjoyed the advice he gave to his students. I am a current EMT and I really feel that Robert Coles's advice to listen and find meaning in the stories that the patients tell the doctors or care-providers even if they don't particularly identify or share the same cultural or literacy backgrounds, resonates well with my experiences talking to patients on the ambulance. My conversations with the patients have gone beyond how are you feeling, and can you point to where the pain is coming from or have you lost consciousness, and they go deeper into listening to the stories of patients, their current lives, their families or what they wish they have done 10 years ago. I feel that the patients feel so comfortable when there is a sharing of information between the two of us. Sharing stories does give us a glimpse to reality and it just helps us understand people better. I value stories a lot and just yesterday I was telling my friend that for me to understand her better and where she is coming from, her reality, I needed to hear more about her stories and her upbringing. From the medical school point, I think I will keep Coles advice with me as I start a career as a doctor. However, sharing stories from a day to day basis, I still wonder how much emphasis and trust should we put in sharing and believing stories.