The Boy With Obsidian Eyes
This poem is about the real-life suffering of the peoples of Africa.
Off the Shelf
Off the Shelf is our section for creative works by medical students.
Contributing Writer
Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute, Pondicherry
I am a medical student in the first year aged 18, studying at Mahtma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute in Pondicherry, India. Love to travel and try new food. Write a bit of poetry and most probably am going to be joining Doctors Without Borders after I finish my studies.
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.
21st Century Infectious Disease (2017)
Modern art for today’s diseases. It’s up to us to find tomorrow’s solutions.
Contributing Author Emeritus
Georgetown University Hospital
Dr. Kaitlyn Dykes is an Internal Medicine resident at Georgetown University Hospital, in Washington DC. She completed medical school at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia Pennsylvania and was a part of the clinical research tract. She completed her bachelors of science in Genetics, Cell Biology and Cell Development with a minor in Art History at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. She her most recent research is in the field of hematology oncology. Additionally she is actively involved in medical education. Hobbies include reading, painting, visiting museums (when they are open), and enjoying time with friends and family. She hopes to pursue a career in hematology-oncology.