HUMANITY

At Beyond the Chart, we believe that medicine is deeply human. Looking past diagnoses and professional titles, we see people navigating uncertainty, displaying resilience, and seeking connection. We aim to illuminate the quiet, complicated, and deeply personal moments that remind us that care is never purely clinical.

ABOUT
US

Beyond the Chart is a student-run health humanities magazine at UCLA dedicated to telling the human stories behind illness and healing. Through a 10-week publication cycle, members are trained to interview patients, caregivers, and healthcare providers and create written and visual narratives that are ultimately published in a quarterly magazine honoring dignity, empathy, and the person behind the chart.

CORE VALUES.

DIGNITY

We hold each story with care. Patients aren’t just case studies, and their experiences aren’t simply narrative material. Dignity means honoring the weight of someone’s lived reality and protecting their agency, their voice, and the fullness of who they are beyond illness. Every writer, editor, and designer is trained to carry this responsibility with intention.

COMPLEXITY

Stories are just as complex as the people that tell them. A patient’s experience cannot be reduced to words on a page without acknowledging the emotional weight, cultural context, family dynamics, and systems that shape it. Each story holds layers of uncertainty, contradiction, resilience, and growth. We approach every narrative with care, to honor its full dimension. We don’t speak on behalf of these stories, but create the space for them to unfold in their own voice.

ATTENTION

We practice active and attentive listening throughout the storytelling process. We aim to engage deeply with the people who trust us with their experiences, ensuring that their voices remain centered in every story we tell.