stronger in the broken places
his eyes beyond his glasses / dart from me / rest on the corners
Off the Shelf
Off the Shelf is our section for creative works by medical students.
Contributing Writer
University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine
I am currently a fourth year medical student in the SELECT Program at the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine. With a background in Spanish Literature and Public Health, I am interested in the intersection of medicine and the humanities. I have a particular interest in the understanding of disease through the lens of psychosocial issues, the correctional healthcare system, and underserved populations. I am passionate about observing and writing about medical culture, and how we, as patients and providers, experience it.
The Boy With Obsidian Eyes
This poem is about the real-life suffering of the peoples of Africa.
OCD (2017)
A sketch from fourth-year medical student Leor Arbel of the University of Central Florida.
Walk-Ins
Through the automated doors of the psych hospital, / the man walked / until he reached the front desk.
The Bipolared Man
In the middle, he stood / Between darkness and good / Both selves beckoning him to a side / And in the fight, a small piece of him died
Transformation from md to MD
First year of medical school: / Don’t remember much. / MD/PhD students, you know what I mean. / Learned how to use a stethoscope.
Our Neighbors
they are / people first / more than just numbers and / statistics on a computer screen
Second Day as a Surgery Student
“There must be a better way to make a living than this!” / Slam. / Silence, except for the persistent heartbeat. / The beat of the ticking time bomb, the dying heart.
One Tough Cookie
This path has been far from cookie cutter, / From being kneaded and rolled / By demanding needs to fulfill multiple roles, / I can’t help but wonder, will I make the cut?
On Performing Medicine
I feel like a child wearing his father’s coat / The starched, fabric seems like a costume
The Paratrooper
The paratrooper shook as they descended upon him. / Prepared to interrogate him with hollow-point questions
Passive Activism
We strive to identify as a generation of idealists. / We are politically aware, socially conscious young adults. / We place our collective purchasing power behind products with a social mission.
Contributing Writer
Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine at Florida International University
Joseph Burns is a member of the Class of 2019 at the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine at Florida International University in Miami, FL. He is a native of Orlando, FL and is an alumnus of Stetson University. He is passionate about the arts and community engagement, having served as the Art Director of the Mammography Art Initiative and the Community Service Chair for the Panther Learning Communities. His interests include congenital heart disease and American Indian Health. He hopes to pursue a career in pediatric cardiology.