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Medical treatment has its limits. Empathy does not.

“This is our sickest patient,” my co-intern began as she told me about one of her patients I would care for overnight. It was my first week of intern year, and I was assigned the overnight cross-cover shift for a busy cardiology service. Introducing myself as “Dr. Tredway” still rolled awkwardly off my tongue, but I had grown more comfortable throughout the week in my new role as a physician. I could field multiple pages about the forty-something patients I was responsible for each night. I proficiently prescribed bowel regimens and repleted electrolytes. I carried a code blue pager, but it had not chirped once. Continua a leggere

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The Humanities and Medicine

This piece is part of The Daily’s “The Humanities in the 21st Century” series, running from April 7-11, 2014, which explores Stanford’s relationship with the humanities and the future of undergraduate studies in these fields. The other parts of the series can be found here. Continua a leggere