From the Wards

Zachary Simpson (3 Posts)

Contributing Writer

University of Oklahoma College of Medicine


Zachary is a psychiatry resident at the Medical University of South Carolina. He graduated from University of Oklahoma College of Medicine in Oklahoma City in 2023.




New Therapist On The Block

She sat on her bed in a bright magenta shirt covered in glittery animals, with her arms folded tightly across her chest. Her green eyes were trained on the muted television broadcasting Disney cartoons, and her bed was strewn with coloring books and crayons. This scene looked quite different from the other overdoses we had been consulted on. Still, our attending calmly walked up to her bedside, introduced our bustling team and asked the universal question,

Cold Feet

There is a fine line between medicine and mortality: give too much and it can kill someone; give too little and even that could kill someone. We show up to the hospital with the intent to save lives, and anything that deviates from that goal is seen as a failure of the system, or, at times, of ourselves. However, over time, we come to learn that there is an in-between where we are at once trying to preserve life, all the while embracing the idea of human mortality.

Extra Scrubs—Optional, but Highly Encouraged

During my OB/GYN rotation, one of my primary roles as a medical student was to observe and assist during labor and delivery. On one particularly memorable Friday afternoon, after we welcomed a healthy baby boy into our world, I delivered the placenta wholly intact on my own. However, while I felt satisfied with a job well done, something was dripping down my leg…

A Case of Alzheimer’s: A Reflection on Cognition, Will and Self-Improvement

My first patient with Alzheimer’s, Sheryll, led me on a journey of questions and self-growth which I had never expected. Until meeting her, I hadn’t thought extensively about how our biology may dictate cognition and free will. While my thoughts on the matter continue to develop as I broaden my clinical experience, these considerations continue to frame my understanding of my patients, myself and the world around me. 

Mackenzie Mayhew (1 Posts)

Contributing Writer

Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine


Mackenzie Mayhew is a fourth year medical student at Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine in Miami, FL Class of 2022. In 2018, she graduated from the University of Miami with a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience. She enjoys watching college football, crafting, and working out in her free time. After graduating medical school, Mackenzie would like to pursue a career in general surgery followed by a fellowship in transplant surgery.