Medical Humanities Commons^™

Reflections On Paying Attention, Cyril Blavo

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This is a reflection on attentiveness in communiciation.

More Of, Maxwell Corrigan

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More of is an album I produced and released in my second year of medical school. Writing music can be a way to process, much like journaling or other forms of artwork. In this way, my albums reflect many personal experiences, thoughts, and other innerworkings. My songwriting process is done in a free association style, as I find my music is most meaningful when it comes from a deeper consciousness. While many of the songs in More of resonate with classic imbalances of attention and care within relationships, my music functionally acts to draw out the things I often need …

Stillness, Fatima Bawaney

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No abstract provided.

The Cost Of Having Everything, Aaron E. Lamont

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This essay explores how our attention is shaped and often scattered by the digital world, especially within the environment of medical school. I hope it can help to encourage others to think more carefully about what really deserves their focus.

Continuing On, Stephanie Singer

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No abstract provided.

A Gaze That Lingers, Vidhi Raval, Naman Gupta

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No abstract provided.

The Gift Of Attention, Ahron J. Petrillo

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This poem explores the shifting rhythms of attention as both a challenge and a gift in the life of a student of medicine. It illuminates the path toward knowledge and healing. Woven into its lines is the tension between effort and rest, intellect and care, science and humanity. The imagery of fire and thread reflects how learning is not only about the consumption of information, but also the shaping of character. Ultimately, the poem affirms that rest, presence, and attention are not distractions from becoming a healer, but integral to the art of it.

Curating Serenity, Archana Banda

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Attention to me is appreciating the simplest things amidst the joys and hardships of life. Throughout my medical school journey, I have rediscovered the importance of practicing self-care, gratitude, and embracing an abundance mindset. Being self-aware about our own health and optimizing it allows us to care for patients with the utmost compassion and generosity. Paying attention as future physicians means empathizing with patients at their most vulnerable moments and restoring hope in a brighter future. Attention and generosity are inherently interconnected because when providers are attentive to their patients’ health concerns, they can be generous with their time and …

Returning Back To Piano, Pooja Sai Singu

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This piece reflects my journey with the piano, a relationship that began with joy, faltered under the weight of competition, and has now been renewed with gratitude and perspective. Writing it was both a way of honoring the memories tied to music and a reminder of how returning to something familiar can restore balance in the midst of new challenges. For me, piano is no longer about perfection, but about presence.

Conversations In Silence: Connecting With Nonverbal Individuals With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, Allyson Nepomuceno

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Honoring Constellations, Prachi S. Gandhi

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“Honoring Constellations” is a meditation on the quiet labor of attention in spaces shaped by caregiving, illness, and uncertainty. The poem was born from the emotional weight of witnessing how each patient, each moment, carries a constellation of stories that are often untold. In clinical spaces, time presses forward relentlessly, but I wanted to pause inside that pressure to explore what it means to hold space for lives at the threshold of change or loss. The poem aims to honor the meaning that exists even in apparent silence. Here, attention is not just presence; it’s a form of reverence.

Economy Of Motion, Yatin Srinivash Ramesh Babu

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This poem reflects the elegance and necessity of precision in medicine, particularly surgery, where "economy of motion" can mean the difference between life and death. Inspired by observing the intentionality of a surgeon's hands, I aimed to capture the poetry in their discipline—an artistry rooted in restraint.

My Oath Of Healing And Living, Samuel B. John Mph

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Sacred Oath Of Healing - Volume 9

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The Hidden Scars Of Healing, Amanda Almeida

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A photograph collection of Mark's unique road to healing, and a medical narrative.

The Essence Of Resilience, Evelyn Echevarria Cruz

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No abstract provided.

Cultivating Compassionate And Inclusive Care For People With Disabilities, Evelyn Echevarria Cruz, Aila Cordero, Maria Fioletova, Amanda Escudero

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The disparity between physicians' preparedness to treat people with disabilities (PWD) and the prevalence of disabilities is a critical healthcare issue. The 2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System reported that over 25% of U.S. adults have a disability, yet many healthcare providers feel unprepared. A poll found that only 40.7% of 714 physicians were confident in providing quality care to PWD, while 61% of 600 surveyed PWD indicated that their providers needed more training. Additionally, only 36% of medical schools included disability education in their curricula, often focusing on brief simulations rather than immersive experiences. To effectively address the diverse …

Know Your Limits: The Story Of How I Learned To Listen To My Body, Elena Silverstein

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The Healing Power Of A Welcomed Hug, Tara Mckenna

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Putting Myself First, Nicholas E. Doberstein

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No abstract provided.

The Circle Of Life And Care, Isabel M. Vera Machado

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As a first-year medical student on the osteopathic path, my art is a reflection of my journey to balance creativity and the principles of holistic care. Osteopathic medicine’s focus on treating the whole person—mind, body, and spirit—aligns closely with my approach to art, which aims to capture the connections between humanity, healing, and empathy.

Through my work, I explore themes of care, connection, and the values I hope to uphold as a future physician. Whether it’s through symbolic imagery or simple, heartfelt compositions, my art reflects the importance of compassion and the human connection in both medicine and life.

For …

An Oath Fulfilled, Fatima Bawaney

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This poem explores the sacred oath of healing as it relates to a physician-patient relationship.

Cultural And Religious Perspectives On Suicide And Healing, Arielle Friedman

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This essay is built off of a paper I wrote in a college global health course on culture and mental illness. I have always been fascinated by cultural interpretations of illness & believe that as a future physician, it is my responsibility to educate myself and others on the complex interplay between religious ideologies & recognition/management of biological disease in order to provide appropriate patient-centered care.

Embracing The Sacred Oath Of Healing: Lessons From When Breath Becomes Air, Rudayna S. Tabbara

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This essay explores how When Breath Becomes Air embodies the Sacred Oath of Healing through Paul Kalanithi’s journey as a physician and a patient.

Layers, Kristin Hiemstra

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I titled this work “Layers,” symbolic of the many intricate layers to healing, just as we see the many literal layers of a landscape in this photograph. In the foreground, you are met with a firm, unforgiving boulder — almost analogous to how difficult the initial phase of healing can be, or the setbacks that may be experienced throughout a healing journey. Your eyes then drift on to find the abundance of evergreens, some vibrant and thriving, while others are in their last stages of life. Finally, the mountainous layers take shape before ascending into the sky. Just …

The Masculine Way, Jessica Asuquo

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This painting was conceptualized after a particularly impactful patient visit. During the visit, the patient described a traumatic event in greater detail, stating that the doctor and I were the first people he had ever spoken to about the event.

I felt both honored and disheartened by this statement. I was honored that this man trusted us with this knowledge. Still, I was immensely sad that he dealt with the trauma of this event alone for decades. I believe he released some of the grief, pain, anger, fear, and hurt when he shared his burden with us, and I will …

A Child’S Oath, Nozimakhon K. Omonullaeva

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"A Child's Oath" reflects the transformative journey of a young girl shaped by her personal experiences with healthcare inequities, both in her home country of Uzbekistan and in the United States. This piece explores the emotional impact of these experiences and how they inspired a lifelong commitment to healing and serving underserved communities. It is a testament to the resilience born from hardship and the sacred promise to bring compassion and equity to medicine.

Helping As A Student, Dayna R. Smerina

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Being a medical student can sometimes feel powerless. However, there are special ways that students can make an impact on their patient's lives.

The Glacier, Emily Rodman

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The Glacier discovers the inner workings of a medical student's mind as she devotes years of her life to eventually partake in the "sacred oath of healing." She knows that these years of medical training - filled with strife and joy alike - will eventually lead her to fulfill the career of her dreams, serving others.

The Sacred Healing Of A Little Warrior, Adrianna M. Zambrano

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As a hopeful pediatrician, I find my sacred oath of healing to be inspired by the radiant positivity and resilience of children. My goddaughter was not even three years old when she had her first major surgery, and I was so worried about her future recovery. Then, she was just a few hours post-op and already cracking a smile. Her innocence and purity extended to the point where she made sure that she wasn't the only one being taken care of; after all, her "baby" Julie needed to be taken care of, too.