Thick Skin
They say to be tough is to have thick skin, but I say to have thick tears. / Skin? It can collect pimples, papercuts, and pus, can be scratched, scraped, and sliced.
Tag: medical student wellbeing
Writer-in-Training
Thomas Jefferson University
Benjamin Meyers is a third-year medical student at Thomas Jefferson University. In 2015, he graduated from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Science in neuroscience. He enjoys watching Michigan sports, working on a podcast when he can, and reminiscing about the videos he used to make for Scientific American. In the future, Ben would like to be a medical correspondent.
Using Comedy to Tackle Issues of Isolation in Preclinical Curricula
Many medical schools today offer wellness programs that aim to strengthen the ability to cope with the demands of curricula through techniques such as mindfulness. However, although these efforts are well-intentioned, they have yet to completely resolve the issues of isolation. It is critical for students and faculty to explore innovative methods to tackle feelings of isolation, such as through the use of improvisational and comedic theater.
Pattern Recognition
Although I’ve spent only a mere two and a half years as a student in this world of medical education, it’s readily apparent that I fit into very few of the “typical medical student” patterns. I’m part of a small cohort of dual degree students. I’m nontraditional, having never considered becoming a physician until after I graduated from college in 2013. And I am a disabled woman.
Insight from a Then Cancer Survivor, Now a Medical Student
When I was told I had a mass in my chest, I was shocked. Like most people who are told that they have cancer, I was blindsided. But it was even more shocking because I had been going to multiple doctors over a period of six months complaining of pain in my chest, right arm, and right shoulder.
Cultivating Campus Diversity: A Conversation with Jade Johnson
I sat down with Jade Johnson, the Coordinator of Diversity and Inclusion at Central Michigan University College of Medicine (CMED), to talk about current initiatives to further promote cultural competence on campus.
A Tale of Four Hospitals: A First-Person Perspective into Chinese Emergency Care (Part 2 of 2)
This is the conclusion of the two part series of Yichi Zhang’s experience as a patient in China’s emergency medicine system.
A Tale of Four Hospitals: A First-Person Perspective into Chinese Emergency Care (Part 1 of 2)
In part one of this two-part series, Yichi Zhang recounts his experience as a patient in China’s emergency medicine system.
Brown Skin, White Ceiling
“Wow, your accent is so impeccable! How long have you been learning English?” “You must have so many doctors in your family, I’m sure it is easy for you.” “Do you really want to become a doctor? Or is it just because your parents are forcing you to do so?”
Grief on the Wards
“Time of death: 12:26 p.m.” Hearing those words on the first day of my Intensive Care Unit (ICU) rotation was surreal when just a few hours ago we were discussing the patient’s status during rounds.
Brown
In college at the University of Michigan, I struggled to find the right place for my blended identity. I felt like the students involved in Indian identity groups were judgmental of those students who did not fit their specific idea of what it meant to be Indian. A friend at the time who was involved in one of those groups would refer to me as an “Oreo” — brown on the outside and white on the inside — for not watching Bollywood movies.
Prosciutto
I had been invited to the general surgery journal club. In the sweltering heat of a southern summer, I dressed as crisply as possible because I had no idea what to expect. While I embraced this opportunity, I had only been invited because another medical student had fallen ill.
My First Rotation of Third Year of Medical School
The impostor syndrome I experienced was extremely debilitating and, at some point, it handicapped my performance in my rotation. I even doubted the way I walked; I constantly looked at my badge to make sure it said Ana Meza-Rochin and not someone else’s name.
Contributing Writer
University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix
Ana Meza-Rochin is a fourth-year medical student at the University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix. She is an immigrant from Mexico who moved to the United States in high school. She obtained her Bachelor in Science in health sciences from Arizona State University. She is interested in surgery with a specific interest in plastic and reconstructive surgery with an emphasis on global health. In her free time, Ana enjoys traveling and spending time with family.