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.
Off the Shelf
Off the Shelf is our section for creative works by medical students.
Writers-in-Training Intern and Contributing Writer
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
Nima is a medical student at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Bradenton, Florida, Class of 2024. In 2019, she graduated from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University with a Bachelor of Science in neuroscience and biology, with minors in creative writing and medicine and society. Nima enjoys gardening, cooking, and painting in her free time. After graduating medical school, Nima would like to pursue a career in family medicine with a focus on community health and lifestyle medicine.
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.
Care
To be seen, / as you are, / For who you are, / Absent judgment, / Equals patient care.
Hypertension Follow-Up
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” / She keeps repeating herself.
Awfully Nice
Tears in her eyes / Puddles in a funnel of wrinkles / She fingers her golden ring
Writers-in-Training Program Director, Medical Student Editor and Contributing Writer
Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Chad Childers is a third-year medical student at Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Indianapolis, Indiana (class of 2024). He received his Master of Bioethics from Harvard Medical School and his Bachelor of Arts in Medical Humanities from Indiana University, Indianapolis. He enjoys running, reading, and napping in his free time. After medical school, Chad plans to pursue a career in hospice.