My sweet grandmother Felipa, to me, Momo She is eighty-nine Momo smiles and laughs Makes silly faces and drums “Have you eaten yet?” I enter her room This is not the house I know The bed is so low Momo in her chair She is always sleeping now I hope peaceful dreams She opens her... Continue Reading →

Shilpa Rajagopal is a UTMB medical student. Medicine is a language of quick judgments. Conversations by the bedside stripped to a two-minute summary, the sentences narrated through pain and stress and tears later reduced to single words, a pattern recognition exercise:             “patient is non-compliant.”             “patient failed treatment.”             “patient is overly emotional.” The... Continue Reading →

Caroline Nguyen is a UTMB medical student. A note from the author(s): This piece serves as a reflection on one of the most formative experiences in my professional development as a medical student/budding psychiatrist, occurring during my third-year psychiatry clerkship. A violent outburst from a patient served as an example of how providers should afford... Continue Reading →

Shirley Chan Sanchez, Michelle Chan Sanchez, and Liliana Pellegrini are UTMB medical students. Note from the author(s): Although this piece is from a personal narrative, writing it was a team effort. The other authors were Michelle Chan Sanchez and Liliana Pellegrini.Language barriers are known to pose a significant impact on health outcomes for limited English... Continue Reading →

Liliana Pellegrini is a UTMB medical student. Note from the author(s): “Bodily Autonomy” is a reflection and rumination on the legislation of vulnerable bodies in the wake of the overturning of Roe v. Wade. It is an assessment of the bondage by the legal and healthcare systems on bodily autonomy and serves as a reflection... Continue Reading →

Yasamin Rastgar is a UTMB medical student and Mattin Rastgar is a UH undergraduate student. My family is no stranger to Galveston. Every time we wanted a change of scenery, we would pile into the car and make the drive down the beach. There was no strict itinerary, sometimes we would visit the beach, and... Continue Reading →

Alexis Ellerbe is a UTMB medical student. Notes from the author(s): This piece was inspired by my thoughts on the inner conflict or inner acceptance of being an artist in medicine. I am a writer trapped in a doctor’s body.My outer casing adorned with a white coat, running through the hospital with fervent pace.Running.Running.Running. When just... Continue Reading →