Contributing Writer Emeritus
University of Texas Medical School at Houston
Jon is a graduate from Texas A&M University, former investment banking analyst, and aspiring physician. He serves as a student advisor for the McGovern Center for Humanities and Ethics in Houston. Jon and his fiancée Kimberly enjoy birding, tennis, and eating Chinese takeout.
I arrived at the neuro ICU at 5:30 a.m. to read up on my new patient before rounds. The resident on duty the day before had accepted a transfer at 7:00 p.m. and documented the following in his note: Mr. X is a 72-year-old male with a past medical history of severe bilateral carotid artery stenosis who had a devastating right MCA ischemic stroke at home this morning, confirmed by CT at an outlying hospital.
“He’s had enough, you don’t want to put him through any more.” Dr. Acharya’s soft jowls folded into a cool smile, as though he hadn’t thought of acids unfiltered by failing kidneys. I dug my fingernails into my palms. Glancing at the bed where my grandfather lay, I watched his bare, gray skin grip the scar that split his ribcage in two. Behind his parted eyelids were unfocused blue eyes, glazed with whitish film. He hardly knew we were there — hovering over him — deciding whether he would have a chance to live and suffer, or whether he would suffer and die.
One of the things that I have struggled with most in medical school is depression. Not learning to recognize, diagnose or treat it, but actually dealing with the effects of this condition. I soon realized that this problem is much bigger than myself, and needs to be talked about openly. This is my story.
Sian Tsuei, a recent fourth-year matcher out of the University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine in Canada, gives us his expert advice on succeeding in medical school and beyond.
It was Friday of the seventh week of my family medicine clerkship. I was tired. Tired from the day and, honestly, tired from the clerkship. I was ready for a change of pace. The next patient was Mr. S., a 30-year-old male, here for an establish care visit. I did not recognize the name. I reviewed his chart before the encounter, two visits in the system, both to the ER for cocaine-induced angina. I stereotyped him immediately. Not that this was right, but I did. I think everyone does.
If the analogy between medical training and a fraternity is true, then medical students are the pledges. For many, the most grueling part of this pledge process is the third year surgery rotation where the modified Murphy’s Law is applicable almost daily: anything a medical student can do wrong, a medical student will do wrong.
Laura Black, a recent fourth-year matcher out of the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle, WA, gives us her expert advice on succeeding in medical school and beyond.
Adam Ketner, a recent fourth-year matcher out of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, gives us his expert advice on succeeding in medical school and beyond.
“It hurts when my sister steps on me and when I bump this spot on something in the house,” the enthusiastic boy said as he pointed to the offending bump on the big toe of his de-socked foot, eager to help me diagnose his problem.
Brian Blank, a recent fourth-year matcher out of UNC Chapel Hill School of Medicine, graciously gives us his expert advice on succeeding in medical school and beyond.
Melissa Palma, a recent fourth-year matcher out of the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine in Iowa City, IA, graces us with her expert advice on succeeding in medical school and beyond.
The circumstances under which Jane and I met were less than ideal. That day, I had already seen a family of maggots making a happy living in someone’s foot and been chastised by my attending for failing to recognize the imprecision of my visual acuity in assessing a patient’s ascites — how else could I do so without a measuring tape in my pocket and daily charts of his abdominal circumference?
Contributing Writer Emeritus
University of Florida College of Medicine
Sean is a member of the University of Florida College of Medicine Class of 2016 and graduated from New York University with a major in philosophy and a minor in chemistry. When not contemplating medical ethics, culture in medicine, and sustainable approaches in global health, he can be found on the nearest hammock jamming to the tunes of the Caribbean and West Indies.
