Elana Fric Memorial Lecture

In medicine, our personal stories do not stop at the clinic door—they shape how we listen, respond, connect, and care. In this reflective and inspiring session, physician and best-selling author Dr. Brittany Penner invites participants to examine their own life narratives and how these stories influence clinical encounters, emotional labour, and professional identity. Through storytelling, guided reflection, and practical insight, participants will explore how recognizing tender or unresolved aspects of their personal histories can enhance self-compassion, reduce emotional exhaustion, and support more integrated, authentic patient care. This session offers a framework for understanding medicine as an extension of the whole person, allowing physicians to show up with greater presence while returning home more intact at the end of the day.

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to:

• Examine personal life experiences through a narrative lens to understand how physician identity, values, and personal history influence clinical presence, decision-making, and the care provided to patients. (CanMEDS–FM: Scholar 4.2, Professional 6.1)  
• Recognize tender or emotionally charged elements of personal narratives and identify how cognitive and emotional biases arising from these experiences may influence clinical encounters and relationships.(CanMEDS–FM: Professional 6.2, Communicator 2.1) 
• Apply self-compassion and narrative awareness strategies to reduce emotional exhaustion, preserve professional integrity, and enhance resilience in daily medical practice. (CanMEDS–FM: Professional 6.3, Leader 1.3)
• Integrate narrative understanding into patient care and personal life to support compassionate, whole-person care while maintaining emotional boundaries that allow physicians to return home more grounded and intact. (CanMEDS-FM: Family Medicine Expert – Core Principle 1 , Communicator 2.1, Professional 6.1)