Tears of a Child
I walked up to my dad and said, “Baba, there’s something wrong with me”. I was probably around 8 years old at the time. He looked concerned and prompted me to tell him more. I said, “I cry a lot. About everything….
In the Business of Medicine, Be Your Own Boss
As medical students, we exist between two worlds. On the one hand, we’re tasked with learning as much as we can about the practice of medicine from our preceptors, many of whom have decades of experience. On the other hand,…
What’s the Deal with Vaginal Breech Delivery?
Back in May, I attended the 2016 American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) Annual Scientific and Clinical Meeting in Washington, D.C. On my first day, I watched Dr. Annette E. Fineberg, a board certified obstetrician and gynecologist from Sutter…
Red Rash
As I sat in the audience, I stared up at the image being presented on the screen. It was what looked to be another red rash. The content for the Dermatology grand rounds was admittedly beyond my clinical training. Nevertheless,…
Takotsubo
Valentine’s Day is not typically kind to medical students. While many couples share flowers and romantic dinners, my fiancé and I looked forward to escaping the hospital just long enough to exchange sweet-nothings over take-out sandwiches. Though lacking in outward…
Opinions Aren’t Facts
I wanted to discuss an experience I had in the newborn nursery. I was assigned to Baby K—a small baby girl who was delivered by emergent cesarean section because her mother abused cocaine during her pregnancy. Looking through Baby K’s…
Are you a cheerleader or a fan? Examining motivation in medicine
One of my favorite aspects of medicine is the relationship between health and lifestyle. I think of lifestyle as all of the “stuff” that affects patients outside of the exam room, including diet, exercise, family relationships, and living accommodations. All…
Access to Contraception
Contraception is essential to a woman’s health, empowerment, equality, and independence. This belief is championed by the Center for Reproductive Rights, Guttmacher Institute, Planned Parenthood, and others. More importantly, governing bodies of health care overwhelmingly defend access to contraception: “Contraception…
Why I Stand with Planned Parenthood
After writing “ Storytelling and Patient Advocacy,” I cuddled up to a cup of warm coffee and reflected on the various moments in my life that inspired me or motivated me to take action. I thought about my story; why…
Mental Disorders: Are We Over Medicating?
In 1948, the World Health Organization (WHO) defined health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” However, mental illnesses are not seen in the same light as physical…