Betrayal of Selflessness
A bag full of dreams was all my mind possessed, / To leave my mark on the turbulent sands of time and be respected,
Off the Shelf
Off the Shelf is our section for creative works by medical students.
Contributing Writer
Rajiv Gandhi Medical College and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital
Sejal Gupta is a third year medical student at Rajiv Gandhi Medical College and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital in Thane, Maharashtra, India class of 2020. In 2025, she will graduate from Maharashtra University of Health Sciences with a MBBS degree. She enjoys writing poetry and prose, volunteering, sketching anime and voraciously devouring books in her free time. After graduating medical school in the future, Sejal would like to pursue a career in the field of Cardiology.
Three Months Since
Finally, it’s been three months since // He and I were strangers with bad blood, / breathless in bed, / discussing the acts of giving and / receiving as indulgences, / mulling over our motivations and / the contraindications for / charity.
Fragrance
I start the day like most of us do: stimulating the needy vessels we call bodies with caffeine. As I open up my coffee jar to dispense ground Turkish coffee beans, I am met with a hint of loving bitterness. It carries a comforting brown sugar warmth that often stirs a sense of weakness given my inherent dependency on this substance but also commands secure boldness through notes of molasses and dark chocolate.
Heliotropism; towards the sun.
this weekend / I went to the sunflower patch / swinging arms with my mom and sister / starry eyed at the fields of bright gold yellow / nestled in the blue of the mountains around us.
Care by the Clock
In clinics bustling, time’s in demand, / We blend precision with a caring hand, / Not just cases or names on the roll call, / But, Patients’ stories, our familial call.
Spill
Sunshine, in the mornings, / spills. It / slips and slithers as it / tills.
Scenes of a Medical Student
Endless alarms, coffee to-go, Adidas tennis shoes toe to toe. / Password guesses, ID scans, room by room — endless lands.
G6P1142
Choice confounds a control / Whose jurisdiction knows no bounds
Passed Tense
I wasn’t expecting the morning report. / I wasn’t expecting to see images, / The death, the blood, the open eyes, / the open hands grasping at someone / long gone. Bullets buried deep.
BMI: Brief Metabolic Investigations
Bone Marrow Insufficiency / Bullies, Meds, Insomnia / Blatant Media Influence
Embracing the Challenge: A Medical Journey
In the realm of American care, I navigate / With eyes wide open, acknowledging its state
The Kind of Doctor I Want to Be
I expect the attending to leave the room after ripping off her gloves and gown. Instead she grabs a clean towel and gently wipes the patient’s forehead with the soft tenderness of a mother. I decide that this is the kind of doctor I want to be.
Contributing Writer
UNC Chapel Hill School of Medicine
Habiba Ahmed is a medical student at UNC Chapel Hill SOM interested in going into pediatrics! She attended the University of Kentucky for undergrad, where she obtained a B.S. in neuroscience. She is passionate about kiddos, advocacy, equity and inclusion, social justice, narrative medicine, patient-centered care, and a good iced latte. She also loves singing and doing henna tattoos!