Tag: medical student

Catherine Potin Catherine Potin (1 Posts)

Medical Student Contributing Writer

Keck School of Medicine

Catherine Potin is a 4th Year Medical student at Keck School of Medicine in the MD-MPH program. She was originally from the Gambia West Africa, went to Mercer University in Georgia for undergrad Catherine Potin is a 4th Year Medical student at Keck School of Medicine in the MD-MPH program. She was originally from the Gambia West Africa, went to Mercer University in where she grew her love of writing and Narrative Medicine.




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?”

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 racetrack, 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.

Afua Ofori-Darko Afua Ofori-Darko (1 Posts)

Medical Student Contributing Writer

Case Western Reserve University

Afua Ofori-Darko is a first-year medical student at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. She graduated from Tufts University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Community Health. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, exploring new restaurants and playing tennis.