Donning and Doffing
As you search your closet/ For your scrub cap,/ Stethoscope,/ And pants,
Tag: surgery
Contributing Writer
Emory University School of Medicine
Olivia is a medical student at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia, Class of 2026. In 2017, she graduated from Brown University with a Bachelor of Arts in public health, then went on to complete a Master of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University. She enjoys making tea, hiking, and playing with her dog in her free time. After graduating medical school, Olivia would like to pursue a career that centers health justice. She'll figure out the specialty, eventually.
My Top Five Operating Room Mistakes
My first time in the operating room (OR) was when I was a junior in college. I was beaming under my mask, so excited to shadow and observe my first surgery ever, a riveting and exotic procedure: a planned and standard laparoscopic cholecystectomy. A friendly circulating nurse that I had been chatting with asked me, “Sabrina, what’s your glove size?”
Getting Perspective in Residency
This is a story for those who struggle in finding their specialty. Sometimes it takes time to figure out your place in medicine. We may not always find it on our first try, but the journey in its pursuit is what influences us into becoming the kind of physicians we are meant to be.
Medical Anniversaries
During my family medicine rotation, I experienced one of my most memorable patient encounters. Accompanied by her daughter, my patient came for her annual physical with her primary care physician. Approaching them with a mixture of anticipation and nervousness , I couldn’t help but notice the genuine happiness radiating from both of them.
“I don’t think she’d be a good fit”: Reflections on Gender Roles in Surgery
Despite ongoing efforts and changing perspectives, gender equity in surgical specialties has not yet been achieved and is not simply a problem of the past. Only in addressing deep-seated gender roles and actively creating opportunities for the representation of women and gender-diverse persons in surgery can surgeons in Canada accurately reflect the populations they serve.
Gynecologic Oncology Surgeons: Normal-Sized Giants
Bleary-eyed, / Surgical cap awry, / I follow in a single file line.
Telesurgery: A New Era in Global Medicine?
Imagine inserting your broken arm into a metallic, sleeve-like device, then sparks fly, machines clang and voila! You have gotten yourself a nice, fixed arm in a shiny new cast. It is more and more common to see scenes like this on display in recent sci-fi productions. These flashy Hollywood gadgets may seem far-fetched, but surgeons have been conducting robotic-assisted procedures for over thirty years.
Head in Our Hands
Take him to the ICU, / Now. / Trauma, Level 1, coming from just outside of triage.
Emptied
A hospital bed rolled in. It was Marvin. His last walk. On rounds we would say, “Twenty-two-year-old with gunshot wound to the head. Waiting for organ donation.”
Restrained
I proposed a deal to my fellow student on our surgery rotation. “You can have all the other cases today if I get the laryngectomy.”
Sutures and Stones
Superficial to deep, deep to superficial, / 90 degrees, in and out, / Not too deep, filled with doubt.
A Beginner’s Guide to Operating Room Terminology
A terminology guide to help you become more comfortable and familiar with the operating room. Hopefully this enhances the practical side of your experience!
Medical Student Editor and Contributing Writer
Indiana University School of Medicine
Michael is a third-year medical student at Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis, Indiana, class of 2021. Formerly, he served as an Army Aviation Officer (UH-60 Blackhawk Pilot) in the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York where he earned a Bachelor of Science in economics. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and son, basketball, endurance athletics, and reading. After he graduates from medical school, Michael would like to practice within the Veterans Health Administration.