Narrative Medicine: The Fifth Vital Sign

Discover the profound impact of storytelling and narrative in the medical field with, Narrative Medicine: The Fifth Vital Sign, by Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA.

The book is divided into two sections:

Section 1: Instruction

Section 2: Inspiration

Through this intriguing collection of essays - the authors third in a trilogy - clinicians, patients and caregivers will learn about the healing power of narrative medicine. Drawing from psychiatric practice and encounters with various health systems, Dr. Lazarus provides unique insight into navigating the challenges in modern medicine through storytelling, memoir, and medical narratives.

Section 1 of this book serves as an instructional primer of narrative medicine for physicians and creative writing students. Section 2 explores and articulates important themes impacting contemporary practice, including leadership, medical education, artificial intelligence, health disparities, and the loss of human touch to specialization.

The essays provide guidance for writing compelling narratives and integrating them with medical practice, enabling clinicians to reconnect with the joy of patient care. Narrative medicine is considered the "fifth vital sign" because it detects and monitors the well-being of patients and physicians.