On August 16, 2025, Western University of Health Sciences’ College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific-Northwest (COMP-Northwest), which will soon be renamed Heatherington College of Osteopathic Medicine, held its first A.P. Howells, DO, Endowed Lectureship. The event took place in Oregon and brought together healthcare professionals, educators, and advocates to discuss narrative medicine in clinical practice.
Dr. Nalini Velayudhan, DO, led a workshop on narrative medicine. She described it as an approach that uses storytelling to improve communication between patients and providers. Dr. Velayudhan explained the three main parts of narrative medicine: attention, representation, and affiliation. Attention means listening carefully to patients. Representation involves accurately recording their stories. Affiliation refers to building a collaborative relationship through these practices.
Dr. Brian Loveless, DO ’02, led a session on applying narrative medicine to osteopathic manipulative medicine. He showed how being attentive during physical exams, such as through palpation and observation, can strengthen the clinician-patient relationship. Dr. Loveless shared an example from the COVID-19 pandemic, showing how physical touch and listening can support patient well-being…