Medical Humanities: the Rx for Uncertainty? Renowned physician author Danielle Ofri makes the case for how the humanities offer not only well-being for physicians but also make us better doctors through growing wisdom from knowledge and building creativity, all of which help us embrace the inherent uncertainty in medicine.
Say her name: Dr. Susan Moore Op ed about the life and death of Dr. Susan Moore, a black family physician who died of COVID in December, after recording a post relating her racist treatment while a patient.
PPE-clad doctor comforts lonely elderly covid 19 patient The doctor's new role: family member, hug, hand...heartbreaking photo shows PPE-clad doctor comforting lonely, elderly covid-19 patient
Reentry This is a NEJM perspective piece written by a palliative care doctor in NYC in light of the COVID pandemic. A snippet: "From March to June 2020, I led a palliative care team embedded in our hospital’s Covid ICU. We spoke to countless families over the phone and by Zoom calls to tell them their loved ones were critically ill, getting sicker, and eventually, dying. When the prognosis seemed dire, we recommended transitioning to comfort-focused care. And in patients’ final hours and days, we held iPads at their bedsides so that family members around the world could say goodbye."
Wit by Margaret Edson A powerful investigation into the aspects of life that make it worth living, the nuances of relationships and how one’s approach to life and death can change throughout the process of “living out” one’s end.
Can Your Child’s Identity Shape Yours? by Andrew Solomon Listen to Andrew Soloman’s ideas about how one can find profound meaning in differences and how they can shape one’s identity. “As long as you experience your condition as an illness, it’s your prison. Once you experience it as an identity it’s the source of your freedom.”
In the Running by Diane Van Deren / Mark Phillips Interview Diane Van Deren is one of the best ultra-runners in the world, and it all started with a seizure.
The Day I Started Lying to Ruth by Peter B. Bach An oncologist’s account of losing his wife to cancer. An intimate look at how healthcare, relationships, personal desires, expectations, and promises all intersect and influence our lives.
Suleika Jaouad “Health is about adding life to years, not years to life.” A personal website discussing various events, interactions, struggles and celebrations living with cancer and surviving afterwards.
Life, Interrupted by Suleika Jaouad Cancer is not a gift, especially not at 22. But it can change you, prompting you to learn a few things along the way. A young woman’s blogging account of being diagnosed, treated and living with leukemia with her 20s.
Conundrum by Matthew Hirschtritt A third-year medical student’s narrative of wrestling with the discord between the patient he pictured when reading her medical record and the patient he met after walking into the exam room. A contemplation of chronic illness and hidden strengths.
Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder by Dr. Nancy Snyderman Photographer Rick Guidotti is a renowned fashion photographer who has worked in Milan, Paris and New York. Fifteen years ago, he saw the images of patients in medical textbooks and the experience changed his life.
The Pros and Cons of Living with a Terminal Illness by Ellen Diamond An interesting perspective describing ways that a chronic or terminal illness can have advantages as well as disadvantages.