Led by Kimberly Myers, PhD, the Department of Humanities offers small-group expressive writing instruction to physicians and students. Groups are formed annually and meet over the course of 5-8 weeks to think and write about meaningful events that have shaped their professional practice and personal lives. Participants tell stories ranging from experiences with individual patients to milestones in their medical experience. Each meeting includes time for workshopping participants’ drafts in a supportive, confidential space. Outcomes for both physicians and students are polished pieces of writing that can be 
submitted for publication.
The Penn State Health Physician Writers Group (PWG)
Participants in the PWG study various genres (personal reflection essay, imagist poem, haiku, free verse poem, micro-fiction) and use these forms to shape their own writing. Their initial drafts are subsequently work shopped, paying attention to both content and form, and participants often submit their polished work for publication. Members of the Penn State Physician Writers Group have published in NEJM, JAMA, Annals of Internal Medicine, Academic Medicine, Journal of Clinical Oncology, Medical Humanities, and other general and specialty medical journals. Their work has also been featured on television, radio, and the Internet as part of the WITF public television and public radio series “Facing Cancer Together,” and has been covered by the Harrisburg Patriot-News. By invitation, the PWG gives public readings at universities, professional conferences, and grand rounds.
The Penn State College of Medicine Student Writers Group (SWG)
Participants in the SWG engage in dynamic, small-group, mentored workshops that gather over the course of 5-8 weeks to think and write about milestones in their educational, medical, or personal journeys. Participants tell their stories in a variety of forms, including personal reflection essay, haiku and imagist poem, 55-word stories, and free verse poem. Each workshop provides a supportive, confidential space in which colleagues discuss one another’s original writings as well as the experiences that inspired them. Students benefit from working closely with experienced faculty physician writer mentors, developing close and confidential cohorts of fellow students, and participating in a distinctive experience to highlight in graduation portfolios and residency applications.
