Contributing Writer
Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Florence is a fourth-year medical student at Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Parker, Colorado class of 2023. In 2018, she graduated from University of Denver with a Bachelor of Science in biology with minors in chemistry and medical physics. She enjoys practicing Muay Thai, playing board games with friends, painting and taking her dog out for hikes in her free time.
I created this piece for a friend who wanted to gift it to their friend. I find that art is able to connect people from all cultures and backgrounds, which is why I love creating my pieces and gifting them. We don’t often times need words to convey art, which is why I enjoy visual pieces as I myself am not great with words.
I created this piece as a gift to a dear friend of mine. It serves as a reminder to me to always be grateful for friendship and family. Yin and Yang describes how obviously contrary forces may in actuality have complementary effects on one another.
I was deep into my pre-clinical courses as a first-year medical student and struggling to carve out time for the other things I loved in this world, like hiking. This image was taken on a hike on one chilly October day when I finally managed to get away and hike a local trail.
This is a portrait of my friend and fellow medical school classmate, Brandon. His smile reflects the joy that comes with finding one’s purpose and understanding that one can benefit others through medical learning.
When I originally came to the United States for medical school, I was very nervous. I knew no one in Minnesota and was separated from my family by a greater than six hour flight to another country.
If I don’t text back / Please don’t think it’s you / It’s the abundance of info / That I must go through
On Monday morning, a medical assistant finds me with a nasal swab in hand. I scribble my signature and temperature on the form he hands me. “Ready, Maria?” he asks, and then laughs when I groan in response. I tilt my head, close my eyes and wait for the worst part to be over. After 15 minutes of waiting in the student workroom, he tells me I am COVID-19 negative and set for the week.
How was I going to navigate living alone, so far from family, in an unfamiliar state? Who would take care of me if I got really sick? And most importantly, how would I deal with loneliness?
“Abuse is of use.” / That is what we tell ourselves. / That it makes us stronger.
The power and beauty of writing rest in a process of active narrative formation. The act of expression helps us make sense of what happened, integrate this into our sense of self, and clarify our values that will influence our next steps. Conveniently, our expression serves as a record of both identity and narrative formation, giving us a glimpse of ourselves more intimately than we typically take time for.
Instead, I was worried that medicine would consume me only to regurgitate me as a mere collection of cells and systems — just like those I would be expected to regurgitate on the test. I was worried that the demands of knowing it all would make me believe that I could know it all, that there is nothing in the spaces between what we know. I was worried that bathing in science would make me stop believing in art.
The Match process is an emotional roller coaster ride that feels like it lasts forever but also flies by. Being on the other side and looking back, I wanted to do my part and share my thoughts about how to stay grounded and sane during this time.
Resident Physician Guest Writer
University of Virginia
Sarah is a current PGY-1 in Emergency Medicine at the University of Virginia. She is a recent graduate of the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. In 2015 she graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Arts in biology, and in 2017 she graduated from Boston University with a Master of Science degree in Medical Sciences. She enjoys journaling, watching Food Network, and dancing to the latest Gospel Afrobeats jams in her free time.
