Western University of Health Sciences’ College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific-Northwest (COMP-Northwest), which is in the process of transitioning to its new name, the Heatherington College of Osteopathic Medicine, hosted the inaugural A.P. Howells, DO, Endowed Lectureship on August 16, 2025. The event brought together healthcare professionals, scholars, and students to explore how narrative medicine enhances patient-centered care through empathy, storytelling, and connection.
The lectureship, which featured presentations by Nalini Velayudhan, DO, and Brian Loveless, DO’02, represented an important milestone for COMP-Northwest as it continues to advance holistic approaches to medical education. The event combined academic insight with practical training to demonstrate how narrative medicine and osteopathic philosophy complement one another in improving patient outcomes.
Emphasizing the Role of Narrative Medicine
Narrative medicine is a growing field within healthcare education that focuses on the use of storytelling to strengthen relationships between patients and providers. By encouraging physicians to listen attentively and engage reflectively, the practice deepens understanding and builds trust, two essential components of effective care.
Dr. Velayudhan’s lecture provided an overview of narrative medicine’s foundational principles, which rest on three central pillars: attention, representation, and affiliation. Attention involves the clinician’s ability to listen fully and observe carefully, while representation encompasses how the patient’s story is interpreted and documented in the clinical record. These practices culminate in affiliation, the mutual trust and connection between provider and patient that promotes healing and collaboration.
Through this framework, healthcare professionals are encouraged to view patients as whole individuals rather than as a collection of symptoms. Narrative medicine supports a more inclusive model of care that considers not only the physical but also the emotional and social dimensions of health. By incorporating these principles, practitioners can improve communication, enhance diagnostic accuracy, and foster stronger relationships that support long-term well-being.
Connecting Narrative Medicine and Osteopathic Practice
Following Dr. Velayudhan’s presentation, Dr. Loveless offered a session that bridged the philosophy of narrative medicine with osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM). His demonstration emphasized the importance of presence, perception, and touch as tools for understanding and supporting the patient.
In osteopathic practice, touch is more than a diagnostic technique; it is a language of empathy and attentiveness. Dr. Loveless illustrated how osteopathic physicians can integrate the principles of attention, representation, and affiliation through tactile engagement. By tuning into subtle changes in breath, muscle tone, and physical response, clinicians can better understand the body’s narrative and how it reflects the patient’s lived experience.
This approach underscores that healing is not solely achieved through treatment, but also through recognition and connection. By integrating narrative awareness into physical examination and treatment, osteopathic physicians reinforce their foundational commitment to treating the whole person.
Honoring the Legacy of A.P. Howells, DO
The A.P. Howells, DO, Endowed Lectureship was established to honor the life and contributions of Dr. A.P. Howells, an early pioneer in osteopathic medicine whose work exemplified compassion, humor, and dedication to patient-centered care. The lectureship was made possible through the generosity of his daughter, Jocelyn Howells, who sought to preserve her father’s legacy by fostering education that emphasizes empathy and human connection in medicine.
Dr. Howells graduated from the A.T. Still College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1911 and later established a respected practice in Albany, Oregon. Throughout his career, he earned a reputation for his intelligence, warmth, and genuine concern for his patients’ well-being. Known for incorporating humor into his interactions, he believed laughter was a powerful form of medicine that strengthened relationships and eased anxiety.
His approach to patient care reflected the osteopathic philosophy of treating the person as a whole, addressing the physical, emotional, and psychological aspects of health. Dr. Howells often collaborated with his sister, Dr. Mary Howells, a psychiatrist and fellow osteopathic physician, to provide comprehensive, interdisciplinary care. Together, they embodied the belief that true healing occurs when physicians treat not only the illness but also the person experiencing it.
A Continuing Commitment to Compassionate Care
The creation of the A.P. Howells, DO, Endowed Lectureship represents more than a commemorative event; it marks a renewed commitment to the values that have long defined osteopathic medicine. By emphasizing the integration of narrative and clinical practice, COMP-Northwest continues to shape future physicians who approach medicine with empathy, curiosity, and respect for each patient’s individual story.
As the college transitions to its new identity as the Heatherington College of Osteopathic Medicine, it continues to prioritize educational experiences that balance scientific rigor with human understanding. The inaugural lectureship serves as both a tribute to Oregon’s osteopathic heritage and a forward-looking model for medical education rooted in compassion and connection.
Through programs like this, WesternU COMP-Northwest reinforces its dedication to training physicians who not only diagnose and treat disease but also listen, interpret, and engage with the narratives that define their patients’ lives. The legacy of A.P. Howells, DO, lives on in this mission, one that reminds every physician that medicine, at its core, begins with a story worth hearing.
