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Lani Roskes Lani Roskes (1 Posts)

Medical Student Contributing Writer

University of Maryland

Lani Roskes is a third year categorical pediatrics resident at the University of Maryland in Baltimore. She grew up in the Baltimore area and attending the University of Maryland for medical school as well. In her free time, she enjoys sports, board games, arts and crafts and spending time with her family and friends.




Mirrored Resilience: Reflection from a Hospital Bed

The poem describes the profound impact of an encounter between Catherin Potin, the narrator, recovering from a motor vehicle accident, and a young patient with a similar experience. Throughout our interaction, the patient’s strength and resilience illuminate a path towards healing, showing the narrator the power of shared vulnerability in overcoming trauma. This encounter serves as a reminder of the reciprocal nature of healing in medicine and the personal growth that can arise from patient interactions.

Old Pennies and Jelly Skin

This piece is inspired by a patient encounter with a middle-aged woman who was recently diagnosed with a severe and malignant cancer. I saw her in the primary care setting, and she was undergoing chemotherapy at that time. She had a unique demeanor about her and she shared with me how she waited all her life to do the things she really wanted to do and now she was unable to do a lot of those things. She told me her and her friend now share a joke whenever they are debating doing something fun/risky/random in which they say, “What are you waiting for, chemo?”

Sriya Donthi Sriya Donthi (2 Posts)

Medical Student Contributing Writer

Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine

Sriya Donthi completed her Bachelors of History and Philosophy of Medicine and Biology at Case Western Reserve University, where she is now attending medical school. She has been writing poetry since the age of fifteen and enjoys finding ways in which the creative arts and her interest in medicine can connect. Her medical interests are in obstetrics/gynecology and health literacy education.