Laughter is the Best Medicine
This essay offers a personal reflection on hospice care and celebration of life from the perspective of a medical student addressing her late grandmother.
Perspective
It is indisputably difficult to be a physician as we often must attempt to balance biology, ethics and financial health in an effort to provide patients with the best care possible. In this column, however, Shivani chooses to focus on the patients whose experiences are inevitably and inherently based on inexperience and are sometimes overshadowed by the technical aspects of medicine. Therefore, she tries to step into their shoes as they navigate their illnesses and struggle to interpret their interactions with their care team. Through these reflections, she has learned the power of empathy, the importance of listening and the value of understanding a patient’s experience. Shivani hopes that sharing these stories will encourage providers to see the world from their patient’s eyes, affording everyone the care and compassion that they deserve.
Editor-in-Chief
Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
Ashley is a second-year medical student at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH. After graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a degree in Religious Studies, Ashley has been passionate about integrating humanistic and diverse perspectives into medical education and clinical research. Notably, Ashley enjoys connecting fellow medical students to research opportunities and especially values showcasing the impressive work of her colleagues.
Better Than Tomorrow
Medical student Shivani Sundaram underscores the daily struggles and reality faced by those with dementia and memory disorders through a recognizably “normal” conversation.
Medical Student Contributing Writer
Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California
Shivani a first year medical student at the Keck School of Medicine at USC. Because she is indisputably passionate about literature and music, she is currently considering Neurology as a specialty. She believes the brain provides a tangible link between the humanities and medicine, and hopes that studying its complexities will enable her to teach people the interlinks between the environment and the self.