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Latest Voices
Heat at the Border
The last patient on the last day of my critical care rotation arrived at the ED by airbus. She was 21 years old, barely responsive, and accompanied by border patrol. The ED called us about 30 minutes later, once they’d stabilized her. We arrived in her room, and the ED resident recounted what had occurred. She’d required intubation and several rounds of CPR to achieve resuscitation. The situation had calmed for a moment, but then she started to convulse. They administered medications and her shaking stopped.
A Summer of Contrasts
I graduated from high school in June of 1972 and was headed to college in the fall. I was happy and healthy . . . until I wasn’t. In the middle of that summer, I was overcome by extreme joint swelling and pain.
My pediatrician referred me to a specialist at Duke Medical Center. When Dr. Smith came into the exam room, he greeted me warmly. He listened attentively to my story—nodding, taking notes, a look of concern on his face.
The Greatest Teachers
We stood in a line and palpated his thyroid. We then reformed the line and asked him to follow our fingers with his eyes. One last time we formed a line and listened to his irregular heartbeat. As we left his room, we each shook his hand and thanked him. I was the last to exit, and as I walked out, I heard him let out a long sigh. I turned around and saw him sink into his bed.
The Love of a Granddaughter
We gathered around Mr. Ramon’s bed. His breathing was labored, his skin looked pale, and his eyes were shut tight. Everyone had the same thought on their minds.
Please let me translate for my family.
The voice came from the back of the crowd. A young lady stepped forward and introduced herself as his granddaughter. She looked like she was still in high school.
Darkness Amidst Celebration
We regret to inform you…
My heart sank into the depths of my stomach, and it felt like it was being digested slowly by my stomach acid. I dropped my phone and pinched myself hoping to wake up from this cruel nightmare. I couldn’t feel my pinch. I was completely numb.
The unimaginable idea of not matching to a residency program had suddenly become a reality. It felt as if years of hard work had instantly evaporated.
The Healing Connection
I’ve heard my grandparents say, “If you spend some time with certain doctors, half the disease will be gone.” They were the first to teach me the importance of good doctor-patient communication, and that when a doctor listens closely, it makes a huge difference. Years later, in my early days as a junior doctor, this lesson was driven home to me by one of my patients.
The Most Important Person in the Room
No one tells you when you are having surgery that the surgeon is not the most important person in the room. In terms of safety, it’s the anesthesiologist. I learned this the hard way.
Physical Diagnosis Rounds
“But I wanted to learn more about amyloidosis.” No: the stated goal of Physical Diagnosis Rounds is for the intern to become more comfortable interacting with any patient, better at building bond every time. The instruction sheet explains that we are only secondarily in the market for giant spleens and diastolic murmurs, much as those captivate.
Just a Little Smile
I’ve always had a streak of perversity that pops up when someone wants me to do their bidding. That’s why I fought constantly with my mother, why I insisted on speaking broken Spanish to a Venezuelan official whose English was flawless, and why I refused to smile one night at work when I was starting an IV.
