Broken
A few winters ago, you called me after a ski accident and announced / “I have fractured my tibial plate.”
Off the Shelf
Off the Shelf is our section for creative works by medical students.
Contributing Writer
Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth
Julia is a second year medical student at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth. In 2013, she graduated from Dartmouth College with a Bachelor of Arts in English with a focus in poetry. Outside of school she enjoys reading short stories, spending time outside, and relaxing with friends.
Stages of Grief
I had felt strange during the week leading up to the last ultrasound. Pregnancy is a roller coaster of sensations, but that week had been off a little. I barely noticed the ultrasound tech rubbing the cold, blue gel on my massive belly. I wanted to hear that sound: that quiet, pulsing sound of my baby racing to be born.
The Tomato Plant
We work in a hospital / Faithfully / Like the tomato plant / Serving a garden community
I Dream Ahead
Draped the head and steadied the bed / For the life-saving aneurysm clipping, / I stop thinking of my former life.
Anatomy of Love
Your Smile / Wrinkles, / Where my jokes weren’t funny.
Bun
Filled with fear and pain but love and hate / To raise it alone since he never agreed
Emma
We stand beneath tin roofs / with raindrops on our lips / regret behind our eyes.
Gluteus Maximus
Deeper than its captivating shape / lies a greater purpose.
Rise
So, one way or another / I keep craning my neck / Looking up.
The Weight of a Smile
I’ve thought about this for quite a while: / How much I owe to just a smile.
My Mask
We all earn our way here / Paid in hours of studying / and minutes of fun lost.
Impostor or Two Sides of the Same Coin?
“Eager and enthusiastic” / As I drag myself from bed. / “Positive energy” / Do you have an injury to your head?
Contributing Writer
Boston University School of Medicine
Charles Surette is a fourth year medical student at Boston University School of Medicine. In 2016, he graduated from New York University with a Bachelor of Arts in biology. He is passionate about storytelling as a means of exploring the experience of working in medicine. His other interests include food, theatre, travel and supporting all Boston sports teams. After medical school, Charles would like to pursue a career in psychiatry.