It’s not a big deal

Written by Nikita Arora (c2018) “Women should be shy.” “This stethoscope will be great for picking up chicks.” It’s not that I hadn’t heard this before. I grew up wading in filthy pools of these comments and I still hear them everywhere. It’s a classic example of a microaggression. “Microaggressions are the everyday verbal, nonverbal, and environmental […]

This strange place…

Written by Anthony Sandre & Photography by Savannah Silva What is this strange place I’ve found myself in? As medical students, we place ourselves in uncomfortable situations – willingly or unwillingly – and, at times, are left responsible for patient management and care. When this first happens, you begin with your history and physical examination […]

Over Dragon Fruit

I had not seen nor spoken to my grandfather in twenty years. I had occasionally written letters corresponding with him during my childhood, but we gradually lost touch during my teenage years. While the rest of my extended family in Viet Nam had prescribed to the Western advances in communications technology, connecting via various smartphone […]

Something From Nothing

Written & Photograph By Megan Schlorff – c2018 *To protect patient privacy, names were altered in the retelling of this story. I entered the room behind Dr. McDonald and introduced myself to John and his wife. They were an older couple – likely in their 70s – who seemed pleasant. Dr. McDonald hadn’t briefed me about […]

Deep Breath

By Kelly Lien – Class of 2018 Deep breath. Nearly time to go. Before heading downstairs to clinic, I remembered to ask about where I could borrow a white coat. It looks just like a lab coat, like the kind I would wear to teach organic chemistry labs at school. But, in the hospital clinic, it […]

her tears

By Beatrice Preti – Class of 2017 Photograph by Darwin Chan – Class of 2018 when she cries, the sides of her eyes crinkle, and she frowns, just a little. there’s no sobbing or shrieking like the young ones do. she sits there alone, as the tears line up to fall, pausing politely so they don’t […]

Code Pink

By Beatrice Preti – Class of 2017 The beeping stopped, and the baby died The nurses turned their heads, and cried I didn’t know what else to do So I turned my head, and I cried too It lay right there, in front of me It was so close, I couldn’t breathe It lay too […]

Wake

By Clara Lu – Class of 2017 I didn’t leave the operating room the way I entered it. I walked in apprehensive that I, as a student observer with no surgical skills to speak of, might somehow disturb the team or their working environment. Two days earlier, I had been oriented to the strict rituals […]

Alternatives: On Identity and Privilege

By Benedict Darren, class of 2017 Once, as I walked home from where my school bus had dropped me off, I saw two boys walking towards me. There was something curious about them, I thought. Were they holding hands? I turned my head away as they walked past me – rejecting, condemning. Another time, I […]

Identity

By Sabrina Lue Tam – Class of 2017 You might have an idea of who I am when you first look at me. You might guess from the colour of my skin, the slant of my eyes when I smile, the way my hair falls straight as a sheet from the crown of my head. […]