Condescending Humor in Medicine and Medical Education
Humor can be a double-edged sword; when used inappropriately in the workplace, it can taint interactions between health care providers and detract from professionalism.
Opinions
Contributing Writer
Baylor College of Medicine
Dina Zamil is a second-year medical student at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX, class of 2024. In 2020, she graduated from the University of Houston with a Bachelor of Science in honors biomedical sciences with minors in Arab studies, chemistry, and medicine and society. She enjoys pilates, baking, shopping, and spending time with her cat in her free time. Dina is interested in medical humanities, global health, and refugee service, in addition to clinical medicine.
Medical Education in Palestine: Studying Under Occupation
Making the choice to study medicine in my homeland is a momentous undertaking, with a surrounding fragile health system deficient of medical supplies and in shortage of expertise. Through this series of articles, I will share my experiences and perspectives on being a medical student in Palestine.
The Recipe
What is the recipe that makes an ideal medical student? Are each of us the summation of perfectly measured ingredients? Are we all weighed to the gram, set to proof until we rise just enough and gently set to bake?
COVID-19: An Opportunity for Self-Introspection, and a New Hobby
2020 was a tough year for all of us (and 2021, and 2022…), but it brought me closer to the medical humanities. The pandemic was the reason that I began to write.
Medical Humanities: A Pathway to Patient-Centered Care
To fully capture the breadth of medical humanities is simply not possible. In fact, it is all too easy for the medical community to lack an appreciation for all of the ways that the humanities not only complement, but enhance medicine. Medicine — a field so biological and chemical — is often associated with far more rigidity than where the humanities permits the mind to go.
Death, Dying and Suffering: The Need for Medical Education Reform
As she closed the door behind her, the palliative care geriatrician whom I (Meghan) was shadowing turned and said, “Remember, there are no difficult patients – just difficult situations.” We walked to our next patient, Mrs. C, who was suffering from congestive heart failure. All cures had been exhausted and she was tired of being at the hospital but was scared to enter hospice care. The doctor clasped hands with Mrs. C and explained that starting hospice did not mean giving up – it meant living life on her own terms in the time that was left. After these discussions, Mrs. C appeared more at ease and decided to pursue hospice care at her home.
Behind the Bars of the Health Care System: Mental and Physical Health Disparities in America’s Prisons
In this article, I hope to examine some causes of this discrepancy, compare and contrast the various prison systems across different countries, understand the shortcomings of America’s prison system in addressing these issues and shed light on how prison systems can provide better health care services.
Letter to the Radiology Hopeful
My interest in radiology began, as it does for many, with the thrill of coming to a solution based on imaging and some sparse words on a patient’s chief complaint. Reading radiologic scans is like learning a language — a code composed of axial and coronal views, enhancing and nonenhancing areas and anatomical landmarks. When you dive into the millimeter slices of a contrast CT and the defect snaps to your attention, you are hooked.
Debunking the Can of Worms
Like many medical students, I am familiar with the antiparasitic medication ivermectin, a common drug taught in medical school. Ivermectin became an unexpected subject in the COVID-19 pandemic. However, after seeing a patient in the clinic taking ivermectin as an alternative to vaccination, the news hit differently.
The Significance of Artistic Observation in Medical Education
Studies have shown that physicians with exposure and background in the humanities are more empathetic, ethical, expressive and even healthier. Recently, medical school curricula across the country have begun to emphasize communication, teamwork, problem solving and humanistic care, as the dichotomous view of the sciences as a separate entity from art and literature is becoming obsolete.
On the Intersection of Journalistic Ethics and Bioethics
In medicine, very little is black and white. Now, as a medical student who has begun to experience ethical dilemmas in the realm of patient care, I’ve discovered that the ethics of journalists and physicians are more similar than I expected.
With USMLE Step 1 Changes, Earlier Planning is Key from a New Medical School
As a fourth-year medical student from a new medical school who just finished interviewing for ophthalmology residency, I can credit much of my interview season experience to intentional career planning and preparation early on. The ultimate impact of the upcoming changes to the USMLE Step 1 to pass/fail is yet to be fully determined. However, in my perspective, this monumental shift in medical education will place a greater emphasis on the need for thoughtful career planning earlier in medical school.
Contributing Writer
City University of New York School of Medicine
Gabriella Schmuter is a fourth-year medical student at Sophie Davis / City University of New York School of Medicine, a seven-year combined B.S./M.D. program in New York City. She graduated college summa cum laude, and is one of four students in the class to receive Honors on all clerkships. Gabriella recently applied for ophthalmology residency. Her research interests are within ophthalmology and medical education. In her free time, Gabriella likes to ski, go to restaurants, and find stylish shoes.