With many of my friends and myself matching for fellowship in the last few weeks, I’ve been overcome with emotions that I have had a difficult time processing. I even had a panic attack the night before Match Day when I realized that there was a possibility that I could not match into fellowship. IContinue reading “Writing Prompt: Uncertainty”
Tag Archives: narrative medicine
Writing Prompt: Art
My lovely co-residents and I have been continuing our book club throughout the pandemic. In this period of such loneliness, it is a balm to be entrenched in a story and to form relationships with the characters; this is in addition to the monthly discussions and group texts. And bless my friends for regularly choosingContinue reading “Writing Prompt: Art”
Writing Prompt: Gray Areas
I haven’t had the bandwidth to blog or even write for myself in a long time, between my clinical responsibilities and time focused on my research and other projects. But inspiration comes sometimes, so I finally put pen to paper (fingers to keyboard?) a few weeks ago and drafted an essay. Ultimately, I decided toContinue reading “Writing Prompt: Gray Areas”
Writing Prompt: Pleasure
Guys, who needs a pick-me-up? I felt low for the week after I came back from vacation, so I have been taking advantage of the beautiful weather here in central Ohio, as well as my more flexible work hours before I go back to inpatient medicine tomorrow morning, and taking regular walks through my neighborhood. Every timeContinue reading “Writing Prompt: Pleasure”
Writing Prompt: Caged Bird
Last week was a hard one for me. I did not have any sort of personal tragedies or difficulties; rather, I ached with my fellow citizens as we all do when faced with collective grief. Forest fires. Possible fire tornadoes. Hurricanes. A continuing pandemic with no end in sight, with over 58 million people having filed jobless claims since itContinue reading “Writing Prompt: Caged Bird”
Writing Prompt: Masks
At the start of this pandemic, with the stay-at-home orders, I had a week of vacation that I needed to use. I was supposed to be traveling with my husband to my ancestral homes in India (and to be eating all of the street food my stomach could handle), but I was forced to spend theContinue reading “Writing Prompt: Masks”
Writing Prompt: Revolution
The Fourth of July was different this year. Not only were large celebrations cancelled due to COVID-19, but with much of the United States finally coming to terms with and acknowledging our racist history in the context of our national holidays, many of the festivities required reframing. When we stop isolating racism as an academic concept thatContinue reading “Writing Prompt: Revolution”
Writing Prompt: Creating Space
I have been taking a break from online media (blogging, Twitter, Facebook, etc.) for the past few weeks in order to determine how I can be a better ally for black Americans and use my, however meager, influence to amplify their voices. One of the ways I identified was to share their writing as examples ofContinue reading “Writing Prompt: Creating Space”
Writing Prompt: Race
Race. It is a simple, but loaded word that many of us hate to think about. But it is important to do so. The United States has a long and storied history with race. From the moment the first colonists set foot on North American soil (and probably before), there has been racial bias, stereotyping, and discrimination. I amContinue reading “Writing Prompt: Race”
Writing Prompt: Touch
I touched a patient’s mom the other day. I gave her an affectionate pat on the shoulder because we had given her even more bad news about her son. It is something I have done hundreds of times to hundreds of patients and their parents. It lets them know that I am here, I am thinking about them,Continue reading “Writing Prompt: Touch”
Writing for Wellness 