WRITER * ARTIST * DOCTOR * PATIENT * MOTHER
All corners of the world meet in the hospital. All kinds of people commit their lives to helping the sick. We are there to alleviate suffering and save lives. With these shared goals, other differences suddenly seem petty. We may differ in our belief systems, our life experiences, our opinions on policy. But when I…
It seems that lately, doctors spend more of our time working to prove to patients that our counsel, informed by years of rigorous training, should be trusted more than their cousin’s Facebook post, a random Wikipedia page, or a stranger’s Instagram feed … It’s time to bring our communication out of our clinics, operating rooms,…
Medical school teaches us open-ended questions are best. We are told to avoid interrupting patients, allow them get their whole story out before we jump in—to prompt them only with nods or gentle “hmmm’s” and maybe a “tell me more.” But years of practice can erode this open style. Experience focuses our questioning to what…
Much like a tree, illness can branch in different directions. When you are at the trunk, it can be difficulty to know along which branch your illness will travel. Why the story of illness matters in my latest article for Doximity.
“Too often, weary parents brave icy roads and sleep deprivation, their bodies still healing from Cesarean sections or vaginal tears, to make sure their newborn’s rash or sleep pattern or congestion is not serious. We try to shelter them in covered car seats and get them home quickly, hoping they haven’t caught any of the…