Contributing Writer
Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine
Marthena is a medical student and member of the class of 2026 at Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine in Miami, FL. In 2020, she graduated from Florida International University with a Bachelor of Science in biological sciences and minors in chemistry and English. She enjoys writing, swimming, playing guitar and ukulele, singing, rollerblading, biking, and exploring Miami (especially the restaurants!) in her free time. After graduating from medical school, Marthena would like to pursue a career in pediatric neurology.
Within the first week, the excitement I felt at my white coat ceremony quickly faded as I became overwhelmed and fell behind. Even with seemingly endless hours of studying, I was still doing poorly. I was exhausted every day and neglecting my well-being. For the first time in my life, my hard work was not paying off.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, I kept myself sane by writing “Notes from the 13th Floor” — a series of moments I wished I could share with the outside world and the kind I never wanted to forget.
…what remains is the removal of the layered white shroud: the only barrier standing between two humans — one dead and the other alive.
The illness experience is chiseled by the search for meaning, for purpose, for greater understanding of existential suffering. This search is at the center of the spiritual journey.
A physician’s two favorite words: diet and exercise. Patients are constantly told that lifestyle interventions are the most important modifiable risk factors to prevent chronic illnesses like diabetes and hypertension.
Much like the development of a butterfly, the journey through medicine is an exquisite metamorphosis. As a fourth-year student looking back at the past four years, I remain grateful to those who helped pave the path for me to grow into what will soon be a physician.
Sunshine, in the mornings, / spills. It / slips and slithers as it / tills.
I was assigned to complete my family medicine clerkship at Sanitas Medical Center, a primary and urgent care site in Miami, Florida that serves a large and diverse population. Most patients are elderly, Spanish speaking immigrants from Latin American countries such as Cuba, Venezuela and Colombia.
Alone in her chart stands a telehealth appointment from seven weeks ago. June disclosed a positive at-home pregnancy test. She asked about establishing care and family planning options. Just as I notice her three prior cancellations, her name flashes: Arrived.
I wasn’t expecting the morning report. / I wasn’t expecting to see images, / The death, the blood, the open eyes, / the open hands grasping at someone / long gone. Bullets buried deep.
I had never truly scrubbed into an OR before, and I was incredibly terrified on my first day of general surgery. So I was skeptical when the scrub tech said, “Congratulations on getting here.” Yet somehow, against all odds, something clicked. Within the bright, sterile, cold OR, “Can’t get you off my mind,” rang out.
In light of obesity’s concerning prevalence and economic burden, it becomes imperative that we equip future healthcare providers with the knowledge and skills essential for effective obesity management. However, despite the numerous consequences of obesity on both individuals and society, medical students are often found to be inadequately prepared to discuss weight management with patients.
Contributing Writer
Florida State University College of Medicine
Joslyn is a medical student at Florida State University College of Medicine in Tallahassee, FL, Class of 2024. In 2019, she graduated from Florida State University with a Bachelor of Science in biology. She enjoys participating in group workout classes, reading Reece Witherspoon book club picks, and hiking. After graduating medical school, Joslyn would like to pursue a career in internal medicine.
