Contributing Writer
Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine
Patrick Hamann is a medical student at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, Oregon. In 2019, he graduated with a Bachelor's in Liberal Arts from St. John's College. When he is not in the hospital or clinic, he can often be found hiking or rock climbing in the Pacific Northwest with his wife and their husky, Thor. He reads whenever he can, drawn especially to stories that explore the human experience.
The ability to empathize and to wonder is fundamental to being human. These aspects of thought allow us to expand our knowledge and deepen our connections with others. Before starting medical training, I believed I would maintain my own sense of wonder, perhaps even expand it through new experiences. Yet after three years of medical school, I have found this more difficult than expected. Although medical education has certainly broadened my mind and offered remarkable …
I was having one of those days in medical school where the weight of everything felt crushing — the pressure to be perfect, the constant comparisons to my peers, and the nagging doubt of whether I truly belonged here. In need of a break, I turned to The Bear on Hulu, hoping to escape, even if just for a while. Although, like any medical student, I felt initial guilt in indulging in this free time.
Approximately 5% of Americans will be incarcerated at some point in their lives, a number that varies greatly along racial lines. Why don’t we talk about this far-reaching public health issue, and driver of racial disparities in health outcomes, in our medical education? During the course of my medical education, I listened to countless lectures and took part in many discussions regarding the social determinants of health in the context of marginalized and underserved populations. …
Healthcare is inherently a high-stress field, requiring constant adaptability, critical decision-making and steadfast resilience in the face of unpredictable challenges. Effective leadership in this environment demands a unique combination of skills: the ability to navigate regulatory changes, leverage medical advancements, address complex patient needs and ensure organizational stability. Physicians, who operate daily within these high-stress settings, are uniquely equipped to lead in such demanding environments. Their firsthand experience enables them to understand the pressures faced …
As medical students, we spend years preparing for the daunting hurdle that is the summer between the third and fourth year of medical school, a twelve week stretch in which you prepare for USMLE Step 2, perform at your highest caliber on a sub-internship in the specialty of your choice, and craft your application to residency. Accordingly, as I approached this part of medical school myself, I expected its accompanying level of academic stress. I …
Being a health care professional can, at times, feel ironic because our intention is to promote health and wellness, yet we often neglect our own. As medical students, we consume large amounts of information in short periods of time, which can be both stressful and mentally strenuous. We often must be awake for long hours, whether it’s for rotations, for studying or for both at once. This lifestyle can foster many unhealthy habits, but are …
The purpose of this piece is not to assign blame, nor is it to debate the inciting event for the current state of the people in Gaza. Instead, I hope to inspire you, the reader, to set aside any political differences and to lean into your role as both a human and patient advocate. I urge you to speak up in support of our colleagues overseas, who are treating and operating under the threat of death; for history will not judge our silence kindly.
The stress of juggling multiple projects, some of which held little interest, seemed to overshadow their summer which should have been devoted to personal and professional development. In addition, I began to question if some of them would attempt to take shortcuts in their research.
A physician’s two favorite words: diet and exercise. Patients are constantly told that lifestyle interventions are the most important modifiable risk factors to prevent chronic illnesses like diabetes and hypertension.
In light of obesity’s concerning prevalence and economic burden, it becomes imperative that we equip future health care providers with the knowledge and skills essential for effective obesity management. However, despite the numerous consequences of obesity on both individuals and society, medical students are often found to be inadequately prepared to discuss weight management with patients.
The gentle breeze of the summer evening embraces my hometown of Suwon, Korea. Holding my hand, my grandma takes small, deliberate steps forward. Two months into my fourth year of medical school, I am back home for a short break before beginning the residency application process.
During my three weeks working in the pediatric dialysis unit and the post-kidney transplant unit, I noticed a troublesome trend. The whiter and younger pediatric patients were resting comfortably in the post-transplant unit with their new surgically placed kidney being meticulously taken care of. The darker and older pediatric patients spent countless, mindless hours attached to a dialysis machine with little hope for a new kidney after years of being on the waitlist.
Contributing Writer
University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
Lien is a third-year medical student at University of Miami Miller School of Medicine in Miami, FL class of 2024. In 2019, she graduated from University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Arts in Biochemistry and Biology. She enjoys watching true crime documentaries, designing gel nails, and salsa dancing in her free time. After graduating medical school, Lien would like to pursue a career in pediatrics.
