The event room was buzzing with nervousness and excitement as the pitch submission deadline approached. Teams were encapsulated in rich discussions with their peers and mentors, trying to narrow down the focus of their proposed solution.

On the morning of the first day, the groups were introduced to Mrs. A, a 33-year-old woman who is fresh out of open-heart surgery and has been suffering from post-surgical acute pain; she is prescribed opioids for pain relief.

Throughout the NMCC, three workshops were held to help the participants improve their approach and understanding of narrative medicine, the case that was assigned, and how to give a great presentation to convey their ideas to the judges.

In the opening ceremony of the 2024 NMCC, Dr. Lina Roa, a medical doctor in Obstetrics & Gynecology at the University of Alberta, shared her insights on the impact of narrative medicine and global surgical care.

The 2024 Narrative Medicine Case Competition exposed students to the importance of drawing out the patient narrative when taking a patient-centered approach to medicine.