Office of Innovation and Scholarship in Medical Education
Alan Klass Program in Health Humanities
Music, Meaning and Mind with Jon Novick
Whether you are a creator or a consumer, you know that music helps us more deeply access and experience the meaning of the words it accompanies.
Join us as we explore how one artist moves us to understand his painful inner experiences, and by extension, our own. Our conversation will then elaborate ways of listening, understanding, and responding
differently to our patients, to ourselves, and to our colleagues.
By the end of this session, attendees will be able to:
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Relate more thoughtfully to others’ narratives by listening and looking beyond the words
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Appreciate how others’ stories impact us
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Recognize core mental health symptoms that transcend the diagnoses of depression and anxiety
Disclaimer: this session will address sensitive topics including depression, anxiety, and suicide. Please consider your personal sensitivities and those of your colleagues. Support
is always available.
Guest speaker: Dr. Jon Novick
Dr. Jon Novick is the medical director for the Ontario Medical Association’s Physician Health Program (OMA-PHP). He is a psychiatrist, psychoanalyst, and addiction medicine specialist with certification in Canada and the United States.
Prior to joining the OMA-PHP, Dr. Novick pioneered work in career development for medical students, and served as the first Director, Career Advising System, with the MD Program
at the University of Toronto.
In addition to his work at the PHP where he addresses the unique needs of learners and physicians facing occupational hazards, addictions, and mental health problems, Dr. Novick
maintains a psychiatric practice in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) where he lives with his husband, two kids, and a bouncing clown.
He is a proud member of the MTV Generation.
Wednesday, April 8, 2026 | 1:15 PM – 2:30 PM | Hybrid (Zoom and Chown A106)
Registration
Please click here to register for virtual attendance for this session.
Please contact Ashley LaRosa by email (Ashley.LaRosa@umanitoba.ca) to register for in-person attendance for this session due to limited seating.
Close Reading: Building Narrative Competence to Improve Patient Care
Have you ever left an encounter feeling disconnected from a patient, like something was missed by not quite being on the same page? Busy clinical care can make us lose sight
that patients have complex stories not solely defined by their health or illness. How can we better understand one another, while providing the best care, and feeling fulfilled by our work?
Close reading, a core practice of Narrative Medicine, is one powerful approach. Close reading brings intentional attention to the way stories are told, sharpening observation, broadening perspectives, and bridging layers of meaning.
In this interactive workshop we will collaboratively close read short texts, exploring how narrative elements such as metaphor, voice, tense, and perspective shape meaning. We will also reflect on how our own experiences influence our interpretation of the
stories of others. Slowing down to examine how meaning is co-constructed can provide practical strategies to enhance listening skills, foster more thoughtful communication, and improve patient care.
No prior experience in narrative medicine is required – all are welcome!
Monday, April 13, 2026 | 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM |
Zoom
Registration encouraged, but not required.
Click here to register or join by clicking the Zoom link below.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84784196383?pwd=WfiHRPdyfUNxs3UGDX5LmeQ3wq26wh.1
Meeting ID: 847 8419 6383
Passcode: 389289
Facilitator: Kyle Mendonça, Assistant
Professor, Pediatrics, University of Manitoba
UGME Pre-Clerkship Coordinator, Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba
Ashley LaRosa
Faculty Development Coordinator
Office of Innovation and Scholarship in Medical Education
S204, Medical Services Building, Bannatyne Campus
Max Rady College of Medicine
204-272-3102 phone
204-272-3169 fax