Reimagining medical education: integrating medical humanism and narrative medicine into a new educational paradigm

Background: Medical education has increasingly prioritized technological competence, often at the expense of humanistic values central to patient-centered care. Aims: This Mini Review examines how medical humanism and Narrative Medicine can be systematically integrated into contemporary medical education to rebalance technical expertise and humanistic care. Key findings: Current evidence suggests that Narrative Medicine enhances empathy, communication skills, professional identity, and ethical sensitivity. However, integration efforts remain fragmented and are frequently constrained by curricular overload, insufficient faculty preparation, and misaligned assessment systems. Conclusion: Embedding Narrative Medicine within core curricula, supported by interdisciplinary collaboration, longitudinal programs, and rigorous evaluation frameworks, offers a feasible pathway toward a more holistic and sustainable medical education paradigm.