Metaphors, multiple truths, and comics: Narrative ethics and practitioner education through the pairing of images and text With the increased emphasis on Medical Humanities in medical ethics there has been the call for literature to be incorporated into medical education. Comics use the same literary devices as the more traditional forms of literature but have added impact because of their use of images. Through the analysis of work by Sarah Leavitt, Charles Schulz, Gynae Ward, and Ken Dahl, I examine the benefits of utilizing comics in practitioner education. By encompassing both the visual and literary realms in transmitting information, comics allow for a more nuanced understanding of the experiences of patients. The illustrative nature of comics enables the inclusion of multi-layered metaphors that can communicate the multiple truths present in health care. Amerisa Waters received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography and a Masters in Women's and Gender Studies from the University of Louisville. She is currently a Graduate Fellow in the Bioethics and Medical Humanities program at UofL. Her research focuses on the ways in which the inclusion of art practice and theory in medical education and practice improves communication and patient care.
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