One Day
Alicia Pugh writes a poem that reflects on how our backgrounds impact the way we view our patients.
Featured
Medical Student Contributing Writer
University of Illinois at Chicago
Alicia Pugh is a fourth-year medical student at the University of Illinois at Chicago. In her free time, she enjoys creative writing, gardening, and volunteering.
Disparities in the Management of Cardiovascular Diseases in Women
Jean Anne Adomfeh unravels a common gender bias, contained in diagnosing chest pain, that has existed in medicine for decades and how through a few simple yet profound words of a teacher, combined with experiences along the way, she is inspired to help change the narrative.
The Pause
Katherine Panushka asks readers to reflect and acknowledge that our patients’ stories extend beyond their final moments in her poem, “The Pause.”
Headlights
Medical student Joaquin Zetina details a poignant example, illustrating the often overlooked and nuanced barriers and adversities faced by immigrant students that can shape their perspectives of themselves as well as society.
The Unusual Curse
Medical student Scott Jamieson dissects the delicate balance of wanting to carry the burden of all of society’s health problems with necessary personal down-time and how students often struggle with these aspects of their lives.
Mourning’s Glory
Lindsey Nae Wright reflects on mourning the losses that come with being a medical student.
More Than Poster Boys
Dekoiya Burton reflects on how he often feels like a prop in a “diversity” scheme when academic medicine doesn’t follow through with messages of diversity and inclusion beyond pamphlets and brochures.
Conquering the Mount Everest of Education
Future surgeon Kayla Flewelling describes, in scrupulous detail, the psyche of a medical student as they traverses the learning pipeline, all the while trying to maintain a semblance of sanity, perseverance and perspective.
Skin Deep
Future physician Yomna Amer broaches the topic of religion in the clinical environment and opines that, along with diversity, it can be used as a powerful therapeutic tool to connect with patients.
Dear Patient
Medical student Allen Betts writes a letter to a former patient reflecting on the importance of treating a patient as a person rather than a disease.
His Perception
Medical student Alicia Pugh describes a conspicuous encounter with a patient that typified the lingering undercurrent of microaggresions against professionals of color. Read more to see how she responded to this experience.
Excellence in Health Care
Health care providers face what seem to be insurmountable challenges on a daily basis; none more sobering than the inhumanities and tragedies that often occur when on the clock. Medical student Nicholas Czelatka gives his perspective on what quality health care truly means.
Medical Student Contributing Writer
Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine
I was born and raised in Long Island, New York. I began volunteering in EMS in 2013 and attained my paramedic certification in 2016. I received my Bachelor's degree in Health Science from Stony Brook University in 2019. Since then, I have been studying at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine with an anticipated graduation of 2023.