Tag: grief

Allyson Flippo (1 Posts)

Writers-in-Training Intern and Contributing Writer

Sam Houston State University College of Osteopathic Medicine


Allyson Flippo is a medical student at Sam Houston State University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Conroe, Texas, Class of 2026. In 2020, she graduated from Texas Woman's University with a Bachelor of Science in biology. She enjoys practicing Byzantine chant, studying Spanish, and spending time with her husband Christopher and son Justin in her free time. After graduating medical school, Allyson would like to pursue a career in pathology.




Medicalizing My Grief

A classmate of mine committed suicide a few weeks ago. Though I’ve heard the harrowing statistics about physician and trainee suicide rates, to be honest, I never expected to personally encounter such a tragedy. The small classes at my medical school allow for a strong sense of community in which we all know each other, celebrate important life milestones, and happily reconnect when we’re together after clinical rotations scatter us throughout the hospital.

Futile Surgery: Does a Mother Even Have a Choice?

Today was not sunny, but today James got to go outside. James is seven years old. Today, he was allowed to drink ginger ale. He’s never been allowed to drink what he wants. He hasn’t left the hospital in weeks. Since James was born, he has had an array of complications. He’s suffered numerous heart attacks, a nearly fatal hemorrhage, a stroke, renal failure, and has lived most of his life on dialysis. His doctors have tried heroic measures “to …

“I Will”

Kyle died early on a Sunday morning.  His last meal was vanilla pudding, fed to him lovingly by his grandmother Shirley, while reruns of “Inspector Gadget” played in the background.  When Kyle was born 25 years earlier, the family had been told he would not live more than a few weeks into infancy.  But Kyle surprised everyone by surviving a quarter of a century with debilitating cerebral palsy. What surprised me most about Kyle was …

Prepped: Reflections on a Stillbirth

“Are you really prepared to see this?” the doctor asked staring intensely at me, his arm blocking my way to the patient’s room. “Yes,” I replied hesitantly. “You prepped me on the patient already.” “Kid, I didn’t ask if you were prepped. I asked if you were prepared.” I knew that a scheduled delivery for a miscarriage would be a traumatic experience. I knew that it required the utmost sensitivity and compassion. Dr. A had …

Ha Nguyen Ha Nguyen (1 Posts)

Contributing Writer Emeritus

University of Texas Medical Branch


Ha Nguyen is a Class of 2015 medical student at University of Texas Medical Branch Galveston. A Plan II Liberal Arts Honors graduate of University of Texas Austin, she is currently a participant in UTMB's Humanities Track and has an interest in pediatrics.