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.
Tag: humanism in medicine
Contributing Writer
Albany Medical College
Amanda is a third year medical student at Albany Medical College in Albany, New York. In 2014, she graduated from Fordham University in Bronx, New York with a Bachelor of Science in biology and a Bachelor of Science in theology. She enjoys running, hiking, playing with any animals, and trying new foods in her free time. After graduating from medical school, Amanda would like to pursue a career in pediatric hematology and oncology.
The Logic of Humility
Drawing from this discussion of humility, one can see that we are not so different from our patients, which may seem obvious but is too often not embraced. We are all limited; that is the natural order of things.
I Need a Cigarette
“If I don’t get a cigarette right now, I’m going to punch someone,” he said. “Okay, I understand. One second.”
On Breathing
To keep breathing does not mean to go at it alone or to put up a brave front even when it feels as if the world is collapsing. To keep breathing is to always push towards the goal even when it’s hard and even when it doesn’t feel worth because it will be in the end.
On Orange Blossoms and Cypress Knees
His right leg jittered beneath his orange, prison-issued jumpsuit. The manacles across his wrists rattled with the chain connecting them to the cuffs around his ankles.
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.
A Crab in the Swell
I float in an ocean of sterile cerulean. / In this deep of drapery and gowns, / One could swim out and never see the shore.
Timeless Opportunities in the Unknown
My mind kept returning to the patient I had encountered earlier that day. I experienced this subtle feeling that something important had happened. I became curious about the man and his story, but above all, I wondered what the most important part of that appointment had been.
The Biopsychosocial Model of Care: Keeping Humanism at the Heart of Medicine
The practice of humanism must be at the core of medicine, and this different model, entitled the biopsychosocial (BPS) model, permits and exemplifies this practice.
Of the Mindful Clinician
The opportunity to be immersed in learning the stories behind the health of patients is one of the things that drew me to medicine, and, indeed, it still intrigues me. More importantly, I was (and still am) intrigued by the opportunity and challenge of using the multiple streams of information patients present with to make functional improvements in their lives.
On Forgetting and Remembering
As I sat on the table in the exam room, I quietly smiled to myself at the irony: I had been on the other side of the room the entire year, and, yet, here I was again, back to assuming the role of a patient.
Heart to Heart: Empathy in Medicine
Ever since that day in the grocery store, I have volunteered at least once a month for other senior citizens. I get to know their stories and try to share the understanding that I have gained with the world.
Pre-Medical Guest Writer
University of Pittsburgh
Kartik Iyer is a pre-medical student at the University of Pittsburgh where he is earning a Bachelor of Science in neuroscience and a Bachelor of Arts in English writing. He actively researches the neuronal basis of drug-craving relapse as well as potential treatment. Also, he volunteers extensively with Foodlifeline and has already delivered 5,000 meals to his local neighbors. Because he achieved the USA Biology Olympiad Top 20 in the nation and a perfect SAT score, he offers USA Biology Olympiad and SAT paid tutoring classes. In his free time, Kartik enjoys writing and contributing to his writing group. He also occasionally explores the city's new cuisines with his friends. In the future, he would like to pursue a career in medicine, specifically in radiology.