Family Medicine Opens Call for Narratives Section Associate Editor

This volunteer position will report to the editor of Family Medicine. Although the time commitment varies with submission volume, Family Medicine associate editors are expected to work 5–7 hours per month in addition to attending a weekly virtual editorial team meeting.

The associate editor must:

• Have personal experience with research and scholarship in the fields of primary care or family medicine
• Have experience reviewing for or publishing in Family Medicine
• Have both experience and interest in reading, reviewing, and developing narratives and poetry related to experiences in primary care and education
• Possess a sense of clear writing, style, organization, and presentation of information
• Demonstrate understanding of the craft of narrative, including consideration of writing style and techniques as part of the overall content
• Demonstrate understanding of the peer-review process
• Have a desire to read manuscripts and work with authors and reviewers
• Demonstrate the ability to adhere to established timelines
• Be available for weekly web meeting with the editorial team
• Attend the in-person Editorial Board meeting held each year in conjunction with the STFM Annual Spring Conference

Applicants must be current members of STFM. In addition to the qualifications above, a background in English literature or creative writing would be beneficial.

Applications must be submitted by email by September 23 and include the following materials:

• A cover letter highlighting interest and qualification for the position
• A current curriculum vitae, including a list of applicant’s publications

Send the application by email to fmjournal@stfm.org with the subject line: “Family Medicine Associate Editor Application.”

Call for Papers: The Role of the Humanities and Narrative Medicine in Family Medicine Education

Family Medicine is pleased to announce a call for papers for an upcoming theme issue focused on exploring the role of the humanities and narrative medicine in family medicine education and training. Family medicine is more than diabetes and depression; it is a discipline of stories. We recognize the value of stories in enhancing our teaching of medical content and in professional development. We rely on our patients' stories to truly know them and understand their life context. This is why we include stories and robust storytelling in how we teach family medicine. Our faculty use the humanities (writing, visual arts, theater and improv, for example) to teach residents, students, and fellows about our patients' lives. These stories humanize the care we provide, give us the connections we desire, and keep us engaged in our discipline. We see narrative medicine as a way to use storytelling (in words, art, or language) to teach concepts related to the care of patients and communities. We welcome original research papers and brief reports about educational interventions or on observational studies examining various aspects of narrative medicine or the use of creative venues for teaching. We also welcome commentaries (with editor approval), FM Focus infographics, and narratives (personal stories) related to this topic.Potential topic areas include, but are not limited to:

• Reflective writing and storytelling in medical student, residency, or fellowship training
• Narrative approaches in K–12 or undergraduate pathway programs
• Use of narratives or visual arts in professional identity formation, equity, diversity, and inclusion, or wellness
• Patient and community narratives in teaching family medicine or community-oriented primary care, etc.
• Faculty development on writing, teaching, or using narratives in family medicine education

Specifically, we would like articles that address:

• How the use of narrative medicine affects faculty work-life integration and burnout
• How faculty use patient stories to teach learners about complex medical and social concerns
• Reading personal narratives to teach students and residents about professionalism
• How narrative medicine helps students and residents process challenging clinical scenarios
• How the use of theater or improv affects medical student or resident’s communication skills and feelings of empathy toward patients
• How narrative medicine teaches clinicians how to listen for patient stories, thereby making it easier to understand the patient’s life thereby improving care

Submit using Family Medicine's Online Manuscript Submission System. Mention the call for papers within your cover letter during the submission process. The deadline to submit is February 8, 2027.