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LIFE STORIES

Original stories by and about people in medicine.

Hand of old woman lying on the bed with IV line 2048 x 1365

My First Patient, My First Death

Nichole Boisvert - 5/17/2020 - 3

A young medical student recalls the indelible experience of taking care of a dying patient. It is the story of her first patient and her first death.

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dying patient old farmer in afield

The Indomitable Spirit of My Dying Patient

Sam Kant, MD - 4/30/2020 - 5

Caring for his dying patient, a much-loved Irish farmer with advanced renal failure reminded a doctor of what’s really important in medicine.

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lump bump eyelid basal cell carcinoma

A Little Lump Or Bump On The Eyelid? Beware, It Could Be Skin Cancer!

Patricia Salber, MD, MBA - 4/22/2020 - 54

The eyelid area is a common area for non-melanoma skin cancers, such as basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma, accounting for about 5-10% of all skin cancers.

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Third-year medical student

The Privilege of Being a Third-Year Medical Student

Gregory Shumer, MD - 12/20/2019 - 6

We were told that as third-year medical students, we are lucky because we have time to really get to know our patients as people. It turns out to be true.

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Medical student empathy Pediatrician holding a child - empathy

Pear Pressure: A Medical Student’s Introduction to Empathy

Caroline Green - 12/6/2019 - 5

A medical student learns about empathy from a busy pediatrician who advised her that learning from patients’ stories can be more important than giving medications.

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fatal-medical-error

A Fatal Medical Error: Lack of Care or Lack of Caring?

Margaret Cary, MD, MBA, MPH - 11/4/2019 - 4

A family doctor relates the sad story of a fatal medical error that killed her friend Bob and ended up influencing her work for years to come.

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cost and care close up ambulance

A Tale of Cost and Care: Blood on the Sidewalk

Margaret Cary, MD, MBA, MPH - 8/17/2019 - 17

A family doctor ponders the conundrum of cost & care in the U.S. healthcare system after she stumbles upon a young woman covered in blood.

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