Transitions
Dr. Ervin Anies reflects on the highs and lows of the Transitional Intern Year with a series of poignant cinquains.
Tag: identity
Resident Physician Contributing Writer
Walter Reed National Military Medical Center
Ervin (Erv) is beginning his general intern year at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and recently graduated from the Uniformed Services Univerity of the Health Sciences in May 2022. While in medical school, he was the co-director for the on-campus peer-led curriculum aimed to foster conversations about diversity, bias, discrimination, and inclusion in both medicine and the military. His interests include medical education, promoting diversity, and utilizing the arts to augment the healing nature of medicine.
Triple Crown
Medha Palnati describes an encounter she had with a patient who she met at the Backstretch Clinic – a clinic that serves the undocumented workers that care for the horses at the Race Track – as he was having a myocardial infarction. This encounter highlights the conversation Medha had with this patient while waiting for the ambulance to transport him to the hospital, and the solace that they found in each other in that moment.
One Question More
Medical student Varesh Gorabi is reminded of the importance of empathy during a seemingly routine clinic visit.
The Medical Student Behind the Mask
Rachel Lawson describes her challenging experiences during her first year of medical school at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and how her experience was profoundly impacted by a vaccination clinic.
Changes
Medical student Saud Rehman has written a collection of poems focusing on the lockdown of March 2020 with artwork to give a visual representation of how he felt. Often times the manifestations of moods unrelated to coursework go overlooked, especially in medicine, and Saud hopes that these provide a representation of the humanity behind students going through difficult times.
SIRS
Dr. Evin Anies utilizes haiku about systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) to reflect on his journey as a newly-minted physician.
Mentorship as a Tool for Identity Formation
Zain Khawaja, a medical student, discusses his experience as a mentee and provides insight on creating social support networks via mentorship.
The Blue Collar Underneath
Entering the field of medicine can be daunting, especially if you are the first physician in the family. Current intern Dr. Ervin Anies discusses the emotions associated with assimilating into the culture of medicine and how we as providers can use our diversity to foster better relationships between providers and our patients.
Feeling
Max Hawkins, a second-year resident, reflects on his medical education journey, the process of consent and the importance of trusting that “gut feeling.”
How the Transition to Pass/Fail Step 1 Could Impact Medical Education
Analisa Narro, a third-year medical student, wrestles with the academic uncertainty surrounding a pass/fail Step 1 exam and discovers freedom.
Pursuing Medicine as a Chinese-American in the Time of COVID-19
Henry Zou, an Asian American fourth-year medical student, reflects on the COVID-19 pandemic and finds courage and hope.
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.
Editor-in-Chief
Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
Originally from Austin, TX, Ashley is now a fourth-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. She aspires for a career in psychiatry, emphasizing reproductive wellness, maternal mental health, and holistic treatment for substance use disorders.
