Facebook
X
LinkedIn
Forward12th Annual Narrative Medicine Conference - Rehumanizing the Clinical Encounter Through Narrative Practice: Where Story Meets Care 2026
This conference will demonstrate the power of narrative for those who give and receive medical care. The day will include talks by experts in the field, interactive experiences, and provide tools used in the practical application of narrative practice that improve communication and reduce stress in healthcare settings. Using narrative for lifelong medical education will help health practitioners provide more compassionate and empathetic care to patients, help patients communicate better with practitioners, and reduce stress and burnout for all.
This conference is being held in person at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital and virtually.
NOTE: Please note this activity will be presented 8:30am – 3:30pm CST / 9:30am - 4:30pm EST
Target Audience
This activity is designed for physicians, nurses, social workers, psychologists, and other healthcare professionals.
Learning Objectives
At the end of this session, learners should be able to:
- Recognize the improvement in their patient interview.
- Recognize improvement in their writing/documentation skills.
- Identify ways HCP/patient/caregiver can promote communication.
- Identify the role that arts and humanities activities can play in patient care activities.
- Identify avenues to pursue that can improve their creative or reflective writing, helping HCPs build resilience, avoid burnout, and support families.
8:00am -8:30am | Registration, Breakfast & Viewing of Posters |
8:30 am -8:40 am | Welcome |
8:40 am-8:45 am | Opening Meditation |
8:45 am-9:00 am | Ice Breaker |
9:00 am – 10:15 am | Keynote Address – Life Stories: Narratives of Redemption & Acceptance |
10:15 am – 10:30 am | Break |
10:30 am - 10:40 am | Telling Our Stories |
10:40 am - 11:30 am | Finding Narrative Identity in the Art of Digital Storytelling Patricia Padgurskis, PT, DPT, PCS, Senior Instructional Designer, Advocate Health |
11:30 am - 11:45 am | Narrative Education Awards & Telling Our Stories Marjorie Getz, PhD, Program Manager, Psycho-Educational Consultation and Evaluation Services, Developmental Pediatrics Co-Director, Narrative Medicine, Advocate Children’s Hospital & Angela Smilovici, Mother |
11:45 am – 1:15 pm | Lunch & Poster Viewing |
1:15 pm – 2:15 pm | A New DAWN in Resident Education: Unlocking Our Trainees’ Identities as Storytellers Aimee Mepham, MFA, Associate Director, Humanities Institute, Wake Forest University & Kristen Zeller, MD, Academic Faculty Physician; Pediatrics Surgery, Wake Forest University |
2:15 pm - 2:30 pm | Break |
2:30 pm – 2:40 pm | Telling Our Stories Ruby Roy, MD, Medical Director Pediatric Complex Care, Advocate Children’s Hospital |
2:40 pm – 3:20 pm | Panel Discussion – Beyond the Chart: The Impact of Identity and Story in Healthcare Led by Dan McAdams, PhD with Amanda Parry, Angela Smilovici and Ruby Roy, MD |
3:20 pm – 3:30 pm | Closing Meditation & Final Remarks Stephen Lee, Marjorie Getz, PhD & David Thoele, MD |
Faculty
| Name of individual with credentials | Job title | Hospital affiliations/Company names |
| Marjorie Getz-Sheftel, PhD | Progam Manager, Psycho-Educational Consulation and Evaluation Services, Developmental Pediatrics Co-Director, Narrative Medicine / Co-Director, Literacy Program | Advocate Children's Hospital |
| David Thoele, MD | Physician, Pediatric Cardiology | Advocate Children's Hospital |
| Lynne Schwartz, BA | Narrative Medicine Program Coordinator | Advocate Health |
| Aimee Mepham, MFA | Associate Director, Humanities Institute | Wake Forest University |
| Barbara Loeb, MD | Honorary Medical Staff Member | Good Samaratin Hospital |
| Christine Presta, RRT, NPS | Pediatric Respiratory Therapist | Advocate Children's Hospital |
| Jessica Hammersmith, MSN, RN, SCRN | Manager of Clinical Scheduling, Home Health & Hospice | Advocate Health - Midwest (IL/WI) |
| Jean Irene Hein | Administrative Assistant 1 | Advocate Children's Hospital/Advocate Lutheran General Hospital |
| Kathleen Ko | Narrative Medicine Volunteer | |
| Larisa Basa, MSN, APRN, NP-C | Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics | Advocate Children's Medical Group |
| Tracie LaNier, LCSW | Social Worker | Lutheran General Hospital |
| Marie Warshauer, MS Education | Narrative Medicine Volunteer | N/A |
| Mary Beth Sammons | Freelance Writer | N/A |
| Lori N. Osborne, PhD | Licensed Clinical Psychologist | Advocate Illinois Masonic Pediatric Development Center |
| Ruby Roy, MD | Medical Director Pediatric Complex Care Associate Professor Clinical Pediatrics | Advocate Children's Hospital Rosalind Franklin School of Medicine |
| Tammi Bauske | ||
| Tammy Ruh Mertens | Physician Benefits Specialist | Advocate Health - Midwest (IL/WI) |
| Roberta Johnson | Supervisor, Physician Services | Advocate Lutheran General |
| Tigelique Woods, MPH, RDT | Health Programming Coordinator | District 207 School Based Health Center |
| Dan McAdams, PhD | Professor | Northwestern University |
| Amanda Parry | ||
| Patricia Padgurskis, PT, DPT, PCS | Learning Instructional Designer Senior | Advocate Health |
| Angela Smilovici | Mother | |
| Kristen Zeller, MD | Academic Faculty Physician; Pediatrics: Surgery | Wake Forest University |
| Mark Butterly, MD, FAAP | CMO, Chair, Department of Pediatrics | Advocate Children's Hosptial, Advocate Health, IL Division |
| Stephen Lee |
Disclosure
Faculty disclosures are being reviewed and will be presented to the audience in advance of the program.
Accreditation Statement
In support of improving patient care, Advocate Health is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
Credit Statement(s)
American Medical Association (AMA)
Advocate Health designates this live activity for a maximum of 4.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)
Advocate Health designates this live activity for a maximum of 4.75 ANCC contact hours. Nurses should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB)
As a Jointly Accredited Organization, Advocate Health is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. Social workers completing this course receive 4.75 general continuing education credits.
American Psychological Association (APA)
Continuing Education (CE) credits for psychologists are provided through the co-sponsorship of the American Psychological Association (APA) Office of Continuing Education in Psychology (CEP). The APA CEP Office maintains responsibility for the content of the programs.
Board Recognition Statement(s)
American Board of Surgery (ABS)
Successful completion of this CME activity enables the learner to earn credit toward the CME requirement of the American Board of Surgery’s Continuous Certification program. It is the CME activity provider's responsibility to submit learner completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABS credit.
Available Credit
- 4.75 American Board of SurgerySuccessful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the learner to earn credit toward the CME and Self-Assessment requirements of the American Board of Surgery's Continuous Certification program. It is the CME activity provider's responsibility to submit learner completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABS credit.
- 4.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™Aurora Health Care is accredited by the Wisconsin Medical Society to provide continuing medical education for physicians. Aurora Health Care designates this activity for a maximum of 4.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)TM. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
- 4.75 Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB)Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB)
As a Jointly Accredited Organization, Advocate Aurora Health is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. Social workers receiving this course receive 4.75 of ethics, clinical, cultural competence, and/or general continuing education credits. - 4.75 AttendanceAttendance Credit
- 4.75 Approved AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
- 4.75 Continuing Nursing Education (CE)Aurora Health Care is an approved provider of continuing nursing education by the Wisconsin Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. 4.75 contact hours have been awarded to this activity by the Wisconsin Nursing Association. To receive contact hours, participants must attend the entire activity.
- 4.75 American Psychological Association (APA)Continuing Education (CE) credits for psychologists are provided through the co-sponsorship of the American Psychological Association (APA) Office of Continuing Education in Psychology (CEP). The APA CEP Office maintains responsibility for the content of the programs.
Price
How to Register
Complete the form above and click "Add to cart."
Click "Checkout" and follow the prompts to complete your order.
For those attending this conference virtually, a link to the meeting will be provided prior to the event
| Registration until Aug 17 | Regular Registration 7Rates: August 17 – September 14, 2026 | Late Registration Rates: After September 14 2026 | |
| In Person | $100.00 | $120.00 | $140.00 |
| Virtual | $90.00 | $100.00 | $110.00 |
High school students | $30.00 | $30.00 | $30.00 |
Conference Fees are non-refundable
Payable by credit card only
Registration for this activity can only be completed through the CE Learning Platform. Attendee registrations made through any other sites cannot be honored.
Cancellation and Refund Policy
Conference Fees are non-refundable
For Further Information
If you have any questions regarding the conference, please contact [email protected]
If you have any questions regarding registration, please contact the IPCE Office at [email protected]
Please take some time to view your profile to make sure all required fields are up to date.