Tag: humanism in medicine

Mona Roshan Mona Roshan (1 Posts)

Contributing Writer

Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University


Mona is a medical student at the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University in Miami, FL class of 2025. She graduated from University of California, San Diego with a Bachelor of Science in biochemistry and cell biology with summa cum laude latin honors in 2020 and a Master of Science in biology in 2021. She has been inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, the Gold Humanism Honor Society, and Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society. She enjoys working out, cooking, and spending time with friends and family in her free time. After graduating medical school, Mona would like to pursue a career in diagnostic radiology.




Beyond Words: Empathy and Understanding in Medicine

During my Family Medicine clerkship in medical school, I worked with a free mobile primary care clinic dedicated to serving uninsured patients. Parked outside a church in a large city, the clinic was a large blue bus standing in stark contrast to the gray asphalt parking lot around it. It was often surrounded by families and people of all ages. The same parking lot hosted a food bank every other week, too. Here was a …

A widowmaker, and some musings on empathy

“How’d you land in medical school?” Whenever someone asks me this, a family of frogs almost always immediately hatches in my throat. My long-winded journey itself doesn’t jerk tears, but the question always reminds me of the day I applied. The same word, like clockwork upon the inquiry, flashes from my heart like it’s a bat signal. “Widowmaker.”  Before medical school, my personal experiences with the health care system were mostly tied to those of …

Speaking of Stigma

I placed the first pill on my tongue, opened my mouth so the nurse could see, closed my mouth, swallowed the pill, and opened my mouth again so the nurse could confirm that I had swallowed it. I had to repeat this for nine more tablets and this drill continued for seven days a week and for seven more months of the treatment.

Navigating Cultural Sensitivities and Trust in Health Care: A Personal Encounter in Family Medicine

Skepticism of health care is widespread throughout some of these communities — rightly so due to historical mistreatment, discrimination and lack of representation along with cultural differences. This distrust may be further strengthened by a patient’s own personal experiences. I respected this wariness, but I had yet to witness it firsthand.

The Art of Communication

Growing up, I wanted to be an actress. It amazed me how actors could make a story seem so real and how easily I would fall in love with characters I’d known for only 90 minutes. Most of the kids in my neighborhood would play outside together, but I always wanted to stay home and watch my favorite movie, Shutter Island.

Silent Wounds

I realized that in my approach, she saw echoes of her abuser and an imbalance of power. I made sure to sit down in the chair next to her, eye level, to show her I was here to listen. No longer did I need my stethoscope. I had my most powerful tool of all, my listening skills.

Carlos Echeverria Carlos Echeverria (1 Posts)

Contributing Writer

Frank H. Netter M.D. School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University


Carlos is a medical student at the Frank H. Netter M.D. School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University in North Haven, CT, Class of 2024. In 2016, he graduated summa cum laude from Loyola University Maryland with a bachelor of science biochemistry and is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Honors Society. After graduating medical school, Carlos would like to pursue a career in internal medicine and gastroenterology with a special interest in medical education and clinical research.