Operating Room
As I step carefully into the sterile field / past the rows of scalpels, forceps and clamps, / I sense a gentle fluttering in my chest.
Tag: doctor-patient relationship
Contributing Writer
Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth
Bo is a third year medical student at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth in Hanover, NH class of 2024. In 2018, Bo graduated from Dartmouth with a Bachelor's degree in psychology, then pursued a Master's in global health at UCSF. Bo enjoys running, hiking and volunteering in her free time. Bo would like to pursue a career in internal medicine with special interest in geriatrics and palliative care.
COVID-19 Hotline
The instant I activated my phone, it rang. I steadied my microphone and saw 34 callers in the queue. “COVID-19 Hotline,” I answered.
The Long Road to Healing
This period of healing set Lori on a long road that was paved with pain. She lived in chronic pain from the fistula. While her physicians delicately weighed her safety with pain relief, she learned to balance both patience and uncertainty.
Scan to Scan
A fog of emotions blankets the waiting room:
Stress and anxiety, with some impending doom.
Cousin Monopoly
Logan’s healing was in his death. Mine was in a game of Monopoly.
To Learn in a Pandemic
As a high school volunteer in my local hospital’s oncology unit, I remember the sinking feeling in my stomach every time I saw the bright “Contact Precautions” sign on the door. I would begrudgingly don a flimsy plastic gown, fix a tight surgical mask around my ears, snap on a pair of gloves and proceed into the patient’s room.
Angel: Choosing to Be Vulnerable
It is morning outside, the sun barely kissing the horizon. The curtains have been drawn in an attempt to force any lick of light from the room. But one slim shard cuts through the drapes, illuminating John’s face.
An Unexpected Apology
Over the next few days, workup revealed she was experiencing paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration, a manifestation of her occult cancer. In a matter of three days, a patient who had come in for seemingly benign constipation was told she had metastatic lung cancer.
The Increasing Importance of Social Determinants of Health After COVID-19
There has recently been an increasing appreciation for social determinants of health. The term encompasses the circumstances in which people live, including factors such as income, race, food, housing, transportation and environmental conditions.
The Weight We Carry
“You know, not all of us can be small,” the patient, a well-appearing woman in moderate anxious distress, said as she motioned with her hands and rolled her eyes towards me. “It’s disgusting,” she added.
Uninterpreted
Three knocks, no answer. “Good morning Mr. Adams!” I call as I peek into his room, flicking the lights on. I am wheeling a small, flailing tablet and it unstably spins left and right, back and forth, until I park it by my patient’s bed.
Still
Mr. Adams had heart; I will give him that. Presenting for ankle pain, altered mental status and shortness of breath, it quickly became apparent that a far more worrisome picture was being painted with each passing day.
“Contributing Writer
University of Oklahoma College of Medicine
Joe Vielbig is a fourth year medical student at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine in Oklahoma City, OK class of 2023. In 2017, he graduated from Pepperdine University with a Bachelor of Arts in psychology. He enjoys photography, playing keyboard, stargazing, and camping his free time. After graduating medical school, Joe is planning on pursuing a career in Family Medicine.