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.
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Medical Student Contributing Writer
University of Louisville School of Medicine
Yomna is a fourth-year medical student at the University of Louisville School of Medicine. She is involved in advocacy, social justice, and global health work, which have been the highlight of her higher education journey. She was originally born in Abu Dhabi, UAE, to wonderful Egyptian parents and lived in Alexandria, Egypt prior to moving to the United States in 2014. She started writing as a means of processing her thoughts on complex issues and better comprehending how her surroundings impact her.
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.
Healing Words
Medical student Sidney Adenya recollects a particularly momentous patient experience, which exemplified how words can be a strikingly powerful therapeutic tool of a physician. Read more to find out how this helped him reaffirm his passion for medicine through this reflective piece.
The Imposter
Imposter syndrome is a well-known phenomenon that healthcare providers can easily relate to at some point in their training. Future physician CJ Hornback dives into her struggles with this commonly-faced mental hurdle and how she ultimately overcame it.
He’s Smart and She’s Pretty
Mohana is a medical student that brings to light the uphill battle against female objectification women face in the struggle to be taken seriously in medicine.
Reproductive Planning During a State of Emergency
Medical student Ritha Mera reviews responses to reproductive health care accesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mera writes as an advocate for women of color and highlights health disparities in vulnerable populations. Through drawing comparisons to past natural disasters and tracking the current pandemic’s harmful impacts on reproductive health care, Mera makes an argument for contraception and family planning to be included in emergency protocols for future disruptions.
Being
As a storyteller, the author vowed to lead with the person’s name in an effort to uplift the subject of the story. This all changed when the author began anatomy lab during medical school.
Safe Haven
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, the author fondly reflects on the start of her unlikely friendship with Mr. R. This friendship ultimately became a safe haven for the author as she navigates her identity as a Chinese-American and learns about Mr. R’s cancer diagnosis.
Moving Forward
Medical student Dawit Ayalew reflects on his own experience of life “constantly moving him forward,” how it inevitably compelled him to look backwards and ultimately how these ideas have influenced how he cares for patients.
Humanizing Blackness
Medical student Vidya Lala vividly describes her interpretation of the often cited terms black body and black lives. Read more to find out what these terms mean to her.
Medical Student Contributor
F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine - Uniformed Services University
Hi! I am a fourth year medical student at the Uniformed Services University, pursuing a career in Family Medicine. I was originally born in Trichardt, South Africa, and lived in Johannesburg prior to moving to the United States in 2001! My mom's side of the family is still located in Zimbabwe and my dad's in South Africa. I first discovered my passion for writing in high school and continue to work on various art forms as a means of understanding and processing the world around me. Thank you for taking the time to get to know me and for interacting with my writing!