Echoes of Grief
“We have reason to believe that your daughter is brain dead.” The silence was deafening.
Tag: empathy
Contributing Writer
Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine
Ashley Newsholme is a third-year medical student at Florida International Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine in Miami, Florida, class of 2025. In 2020 she graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Science in biology and a minor in dance. In her free time she enjoys cooking, reading, spending time with her animals, and volunteering at Camillus Health Concern for street medicine outreach. After graduating from medical school, Ashley hopes to pursue a career in Emergency Medicine.
The Anatomy of Healing
On September 29, 2021, my world started to unravel. My first anatomy lab as a medical student had just begun. I stepped foot in the cadaver lab where the pungent odor of formaldehyde clung to the air, and I was overflowing with eagerness.
Leave It at the Door
As a medical student, I have found that one of the biggest challenges during my journey through the many clinical experiences is the ability to truly immerse myself in my patients’ stories and attempt to place myself in their shoes when thoughts of other clinical and academic responsibilities were constantly hovering over my head.
Noticing Love: An Experiment
Today, I am determined to notice love. The sun comes up bright and full each morning to keep us warm.
Relapsing-Remitting Vignettes: Learning About Multiple Sclerosis
One of the most impactful influences on my decision to become a doctor was meeting a patient with multiple sclerosis (MS). I was 19 years old and a hospital volunteer in Michigan. As I was replacing gloves, gowns and towels in my department, I entered the room of an elderly Eastern-European woman.
This Space
This is a space / between you and me / where you can simply be
Communication
On my first day volunteering in the hospital, my task is to observe Steven, a more experienced volunteer, as he visits with patients. We begin by meeting Amanda, the first patient on our list.
Applying an Energetics Argument to Our Lives
My eyes ran across the same paragraph for the fifth — or maybe even sixth — time in the span of 15 minutes. Though I was giving my undivided attention to the paragraph, I could not move past it; I was at a complete loss for how to convey my next point.
The “Difficult Patient”
They asked me how that encounter had gone, and I could feel my cheeks turn bright red. I was embarrassed that I was not able to connect with my patient.
If Mary Oliver Were a Medical Student
Recently I have let myself consider how wonderful of a physician Mary Oliver would have been, and how wonderful a medical school classmate.
Looking in the Mirror: Confessions from Inpatient Psych
Through my patient’s same wants and needs, I saw my own thoughts, feelings, hopes, dreams, fears and my own desire to be liked, to be wanted, to be needed. I felt, for the first time in a very long time, a genuine human connection.
Why is Bedside Manner Important?
Even though providers often must jump for one room to the next, it is important that they take the time to learn about each patient’s individual needs.
Guest Writer
Purdue University
Anna studied nursing at Purdue University. Anna enjoys finding and tasting new spots to eat and spending time with her dog, Charlie. Anna works for Capson Physicians Insurance.