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,…
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…
Repost: Stories of Suffering
As the MSPress Executive Board transitions, we bring you a post from past! Enjoy the work of one of our emeritus writers, Sara Rendell. I am a medical student because I love questions. After a blood vessel takes a punch,…
Lunch Chats
It’s 6:30 AM. I have one hour to see four patients before morning rounds. This seems like ample time, and it is—it just isn’t the best time. My patients are still sleepy. They aren’t in the mood to listen to…
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…
Storytelling and Patient Advocacy
Yesterday, I received a perfectly-timed message on a group thread. My friend wrote that she loves patient advocacy. “Me too,” I thought, as I filed away notes from a Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida Meeting hosted by the…
Latest Entry
The in-class assignment was simple: write a short paragraph of your thoughts about narrative medicine. But after ten minutes, my paper was a mess; pen lines angrily crossed out sentences that had been started but not finished, my usually neat…
Did you hear any zebras in there?
“Every child you encounter is a divine appointment.” – Wess Stafford I made a new friend today. He was sitting on the floor organizing puzzle pieces. I took a seat beside him to take in his perspective. It had been…