Short
Chief complaint: arm pain, / Waiting in room 4. / As I enter, he looks me up and down — / What is it he’s looking for?
Off the Shelf
Off the Shelf is our section for creative works by medical students.
Contributing Writer
University of Central Florida College of Medicine
Tammy is a second-year medical student at the University of Central Florida College of Medicine in Orlando, Florida. In 2019, she graduated summa cum laude from Oklahoma City University with a Bachelor of Science in cell and molecular biology. After graduating medical school, Tammy will pursue a career in surgery.
History Of Present Illness | A Medical School Short Horror Film
A first-year medical student’s stress and anxiety begin to take physical form as she navigates her first year of medical school.
Between the Dead and the Dying
A scalpel, a corpse — / His beard is neat, his eyes are / Empty. Gloves hide clammy hands / Afraid of what awaits beneath
CLL (Child Learning Love)
You call me on a Thursday to tell me / You were diagnosed with leukemia in October.
Studies of Mice and Men
Investigate. / Deeper, / deeper, / deeper: / To a depth of understanding beyond understanding.
I Sit in the Classroom
I sit in the classroom, / staring blankly at the wall. / The professor has gone off once again, / regaling a story of some elderly patient’s fall.
New Normal
Never committed a crime, / but now I feel like a prisoner. // Trapped in our minds, / our spirits leashed,
Six Feet Apart
March 2020 One inch more than the measure of me, and one inch less than that of my father. It’s been a while since I lined up, back to back. But if I did, the space between us would only read two inches. Maybe less now that he is older. Nearly sixty. Closer to the next decade than the last. It’s common knowledge that people shrink as they get older. Or at least I think …
Drinking Grapefruit Juice
I didn’t know / many can’t / sip coral pulpy bitter / juice from narrow glasses.
Circle of Life
A loud cry as we enter the world. / A silent cry as we depart.
The Anatomy Lesson
There were seven of us standing around the table as the attending surgeon debrided the infected fascia. The vascular surgeon came in the room and barked at us to identify the structures before us. “What’s that artery?” he interrogated us. “I’ll give you a hint,” he said, “there’s a deep and a superficial.” We named the sural nerve and iliotibialis band and the great saphenous vein. As we clamored around the table, I suddenly thought of the Rembrandt painting: The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp.
My Pandemic Journey and Thoughts
Unmotivated to study, I dedicated myself to researching the virus as well as its epidemiological, social and economical impact on our communities. Adjusting to life in quarantine was frustrating, and I felt like I was watching the world turn upside down. However, researching the pandemic felt much more relevant than trying to use all these anatomy apps to fill in gaps created by a lack of practical hands-on learning.
Contributing Writer
University of California Riverside School of Medicine
Somiya is a first year medical student at UC Riverside, class of 2023. In 2018, she graduated from UC Riverside with a Bachelor of Science in biology. She enjoys card games, cooking, and going to the gym. After graduating medical school, Somiya would like to pursue a career in Internal Medicine.