Deliverance
Jagged shards of lightning playfully dance across the horizon, / their shrieks of war struggling to keep up … / I hesitantly about-face and land my gaze upon his ethereal face.
Poetry Thursdays
Poetry Thursdays is our initiative to highlight poetry and prose by medical students, with a new post every Thursday. If you are interested in contributing or would like to learn more, please contact our editors.
Contributing Writer
St. Matthew's University School of Medicine
Farhan Shah is a Class of 2018 medical student at St. Matthew's University, School of Medicine. He graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park with a Bachelor of Science in General Biology and a minor in Spanish Language, Business and Cultures in May, 2014. As expected, most of Farhan's time is spent in pursuit of his MD. He is also a newlywed husband. In whatever spare time he has, he spends it hiking at Harpers Ferry with his wife, diving into new books (preferably classics), and binging on Netflix.
Impunity from Lack of Immunity
On the first day of lecture, my dear, sweet professor / Had fallen ill with a case of the flu.
Name Tag
There is pain on her face. / I’m walking on the busy sidewalk, / I don’t know her.
Superficial Separations Meet Surgical Reflections
Open. / Open abdomens. / Idealized organs from Netter’s in the flesh.
Elysium and Hades from My Backyard
Soon, / There / Will be / A true cure.
The Line
I have stood on both sides of the line– / The line between mother and medic; / The line between parent and practitioner.
your heart has four chambers, is there room for me?
time, / its lifespan ceases to exist / as the gold warmth of your hazel eyes surround me
Last and First Days
Was it a fall? Did I miss the last step? These things I cannot recall / Hidden from sight, the blood crept from one lone vessel and began to compress / Nice to meet you, one medical student said, as he unzipped my sheath
two slides
after three years go by / you appear on two slides / in a lecture / on motor neuron disease
Under
Little girl / in the pink hospital gown / sits in a windowless room.
A Privilege to Chore
The many tables corral him, / All the people surround him, / A trained doctor he is not, / Giving up, he hasn’t thought.
Nascent Hands
First, do no harm, but to harm not I must first see / With swift breath, I begin. / You, silent teacher, my new textbook
Contributing Author
Mayo Clinic School of Medicine
Noelle Thew is a second year student at the Mayo Clinic School of Medicine.