In a previous article, we theorised that patients' stories prepare students by allowing them to reflect on their practice in the safety of the academic environment. This article furthers this theory by arguing that, when engaging with patients through storytelling, students grow epistemologically, whereby they develop knowledge about empathetic practice, and ontologically, whereby they learn to form and maintain relationships with the patients in their care. These new forms of knowing then inform practice and their professional decision making. Patients' stories galvanise students to think more deeply about their practice and their patient engagement. Through that, they develop their art of healthcare practice, becoming competent, empathetic practitioners who are constantly motivated to developing their practice.