Medical humanities is an encompassing field that describes the intersection of medicine with philosophy, ethics, history, psychology, sociology, and arts.
Mental Status Exam of a Third-year Medical Student
Appearance: 25-year-old female, appears older than stated age, dark bags underneath her eyes, wearing wrinkled hospital scrubs, holding empty cup of coffee in her hands. No physical scars. Behavior: No acute
A Place to Put Your Eyes: Lessons from Palliative Care Chaplaincy
The names and clinical details of all persons in this account have been modified to maintain patient privacy. “He turned 23 in the ICU last week.” Palliative care chaplain Helen’s
The Motorman
As the trolley rattled and shook to its westernmost stop at Whiting street, late afternoon beams of sun broke between the buildings and striped the street and the tracks below.
The Hunt
I ran. Faced with the screeching and scarping sounds of the beast behind, there was nothing else I could do. Bare feet kicking up dust and dirt, I dashed through
Giving Up
When I stepped foot on the foreign land, leaving my loved ones thousands of miles away, I hoped for a fresh start. A life of success and novelty. The newfound
Perfection The (Un)Beautiful Lie
There lies my happiness Out of reach, A distant white light High up above the darkness If I can reach that light, I can be happy again After I finish
25
I remember 9/11 but not the way everyone else remembers it. I remember laying atop my grandma’s curly hair, scrunched up above her in the bed as we waited for
In+Out=Now
Breathe In Constantly What if What if What if When it never is And now the now is gone Trapped in an if Stop Everything is going to be
Remnants
I am twenty-four years old, and I hold a man’s heart in my hands. Muscles that used to pump blood through his body lie still against my fingertips. I don’t
Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day for most people is a holiday that brings to mind flowers, chocolates, love, and friendship. For people who are from Parkland, it has a different meaning altogether. On
Willingness to Palpate
I cried after the first physical exam in Doctoring. Nothing went wrong; it was just the heat—the heat from the sun against my back, on my backpack, emanating from
A Reason for Hope this New Year
Figure 1: Twins Dorcas and Deborah Bendak, 7, under a mosquito net at their home in Tanzania The end of Xavier’s life began late one summer night when a mosquito flew through the opening
Enteral Nutrition
Chip-chip-cheree, the triumphant call of a fruitful journey; mother coos, mouth full, to her young. Digesting is too hard for my sister; she waits for the blender, chirp-chirping as it
Perfectomy
she is skeleton with skin on, spackled love and atomic interactions bursting at the sarcomeres to leave fingerprints on this windowpane called life. and what better way than to learn
Reincarnated as a Foreigner
My name is Sunbi Deok-ta. I’m just an average medical student with no friends or free time. My only hobby is to study every day using the marinara technique: study
Jack Tuller and the Performance of His Life
Jack Tuller is in a black embroidered tuxedo jacket, decked out and ready to go in less than 30. While his loved ones wait outside the bathroom, he says a
Tampa Bay Artists to Add to Your Life’s Soundtrack
I came to Tampa from Michigan and did not know a whole lot about the city prior to beginning medical school besides the fact that they love their lightning down
Scrubbed In
Staring down into this vat of steel, a cold, barren pit is eager to be reawakened. Hands are held steadily with fingers extended, bracing to be stripped of life
Saving Beach Park
One of the many signs dotting the area around Beach Park. In September of 2021, city officials voted to reject the development of a new apartment complex. Moving to Tampa
A Tale of Two Lydias
My father is a storyteller. It’s an unshakable part of his identity. He was born that way, with an infectious laugh and Sicilian hands from his mother that gesture wildly
The Man in the House
Nothing treaded the dark path, Not a man nor a mouse For there were rumors about the man, The man in the house. One day her bike broke down, And
Anatomy and Friends
anatomy & friends plantar aponeurosis grounding me; toes wriggling beneath earth that has become unfamiliar replaced by concrete jungles; a spider web of blinding smiles, crow’s feet, one-sided dimples reflecting
XY
The fear that their mind is lurking with darkness that their faces don’t represent The way their eyes linger where they shouldn’t The sins those of the past committed The
On the Kindness of Strangers in Hospital Hallways
It’s 7:30am on a beautiful Tuesday morning. I had just survived a bombardment of medical school exams somewhat unscathed and finally had a day off to breathe… well, more so
From Existing to Living
20 Years Ago… I am restless, always furiously scribbling in the notebook, which is never far from my reach. I believe the words within it will let people know what
Diamonds Are a Gnome’s Best Friend
When the first stroke of starlight paints the sky, the Firefly Tavern opens its doors. Local elves and witches gather, dining on gossip and ale. They speak of an old
Mourning Flight
AgainI hover in that strange space that exists outside of time.It is 3 am,and the ticking clock on the hospital’s bare wall crawls to halt.We are floating, dimensionless.An insomniac
Failure By Design
“Jessica, hello! How are you doing today?” Jessica wasn’t real. She was a standardized patient, a fictional character created by my medical school for training purposes. After entering the clinical
A Lesson From Zombies
TW: Suicide, death As I look at the light pink mush on the table, I can’t help but think this would be a zombie’s ideal profession—the mush being brains, of
They, Them, Their
It’s 1969, and a gentleman named Fred Rogers is dipping his feet into a wading pool. Beside him sits an African American gentleman, Francois Clemmons. They make light conversation before
Student Attend Live Session?
Attendance quizzes May be back, but I will still Love you PollEver Related posts: Rushing to Normalcy: The NFL’s Alarming COVID Protocol Change Insomnolence Is it Peduncle or Peduncle? Consistency
Global Health in Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa
As I write this, I am currently performing rare disease research in Durban, part of the Kwa-Zulu Natal province of South Africa. This region suffers from some of the highest
Manner of Death
June 24th, 2022 that is the date that foretells the rise in the bodies. you unzip the next bag and gaze inside black skin stark against the white plastic. she
Safe to Brave Space
I had seen the strange intrusion of my health, and how I mourned the subtle, yet drastic changes. Down into the darkness, I go, yet to explore what happens. How gently the journey
Beatrice the Bumblebee Overcomes Imposter Syndrome
Beatrice the bumblebee was too plump to fly. But she flew anyway. Sometimes she wobbled, and sometimes she bumped her head, but Beatrice didn’t care. She was too busy being
Your Perfect Match(a)
Love coffee, but hate the jitters? Enjoy studying at cafes? If you answered “yes” to either of these questions, then matcha might be your perfect match. If you’re already a
Monochrome
Blackout poetry takes certain words from a written piece to create a poem. This poem is based on a Nature article about diabetes and COVID-19. Below is the text of
Narrative Medicine Workshop
On April 14th, Arts in Health hosted a narrative medicine workshop for USF Morsani medical students. Together, they read the poem “Almost Human” by Ocean Vuong and discussed the emotions
A Spoken Word Piece: Oracle
Oracle of the westI’ve traveled long for this requestSo please do not refuseFor humbly I come to you I contendI have failed againAnd againIt seems I’ve come to the limit
Consistency Contra Variance
Variability’s venomous vines are voracious in the vineyards of productivity, Violently starving vulnerable routines to the verge of vanishment Verily, variability is a valuable vehicle for change, vital for victory for
Is it Peduncle or Peduncle?
Why say “Pee-dun-cle”, When you could save some stress, by Saying “Ped-un-cle”? Related posts: Insomnolence Drip, Drip, Drip Consistency Contra Variance A Spoken Word Piece: Oracle
The Videographer
We row the boat of opportunities, Against the flow of time. The clock is ticking. Where shall we go? We are afraid of failure. Our time is limited. Decisions define us. People change us. We become the videographers
Stomp the Stigma
The Pulse, in partnership with WellCo, is proud to present the annual Stomp the Stigma booklet Related posts: Complicit A Day at The Free Clinic The Overpass The Flower and
A Day at The Free Clinic
The night before my first time volunteering at a free clinic as a medical student, it took me a solid hour before I was able to fall asleep. The typical
Insomnolence
The hours weaken me each day. Visions haunt me while away. Taken aback by what I lack. Always wanting to go back. Thud, yawn, rub and red eyes Staring back at my reflection. Circadian without
Complicit
I pulled out of my driveway at 5:40 am. The habit of waking up early and getting to medical school well before classes started was paying off. It was an
One Diagnosis Away: A Narrative Poem on the Invisible Illness Experience
A student’s reflection on missed diagnoses
Hopeless
I look out the window I can barely breathe Everything’s frozen over Dark winter days Ice covering over More and more and more This time things are different Can’t understand why all I feel is fear This abyss
The Flower and Her Witch
“This painting isn’t nearly as good as the others.”
Well-being and Deviation from Harmony with Nature, a Perspective Taken through Ceramic Sculptures
This concentration explores the relation between humans and nature. I explored humanity’s deviation from harmony with nature by using a variation of color, texture, and form to show how this
Insomnia
why am I awake?in this dying night listening to the staccato ofmy fragile heartpumping miles of reda sonata written by the unwelcome words in my head I have miles to go yet are my
New Year’s Resolutions
Happy New Year!We all cheer, raising our glasses of sparkling champagneNew year, new me! We all sayWhat resolutions will we think of today? I’ll try to get better grades I’ll
A Curious Pain (A Haiku)
Between white islandsI searched, sailing the Red Seas,But couldn’t find you Related posts: In Search of Perfection Hopeless One Diagnosis Away: A Narrative Poem on the Invisible Illness Experience Complicit
In Search of Perfection
Is being the best the bestWorking restlessly to one day rest LestThe goal is not the best but the trueEmbracing you, not him or who ForThere can only be one
Relationship Rubric
Three points for empathy.Three more for conversational engagement –For actively listening to the words,The life,The distress,Coming out of your patient’s mouth.And don’t forget toShow concernAnd say “I’m sorry”When you ask
Giving Thanks
Before I go to sleep each night, I open up a small, gray notebook and write down three things I feel thankful for that day. When I was an undergrad,
Hemochromatosis: A stain of Prussian Blue – Iron molecules escaping a crowded liver
Description: Prussian blue is a stain used in clinical pathology to reveal the marked increase in hepatic iron deposits that is characteristic of hemochromatosis. I used a paint called “Prussian
HPI (A Haiku Submission)
What brings you here, Sir? Oh, your right hip is hurting? Sorry to hear that… Related posts: In Search of Perfection Hopeless One Diagnosis Away: A Narrative Poem on the
The Boys Club
By Michele Bohlmann One of the things about being a medical student is people love to ask you what kind of doctor you’re going to be. This is a tricky
A Step Closer to the Perfect Day
By: Brennan Ninesling BA, BSa, Aum Solanki BA, BSa, Madeline Carney BSa, Ambuj Kumar MD, MPHa, Lucy Guerra MD, MPHa Corresponding author: Dr. Lucy Guerra MD, MPH, Morsani College of