Katherine Bakke. I have read every single article that’s probably ever been published on how to train surgeons on how to talk about end of life decisions, so I thought I should be good at it, but I’m actual terrible.

Elke Schipani. And yet the difference between my position and theirs was: “stay home” vs. “we need you.” I often thought back to the decision to take one year between graduating college and starting medical school. What if I hadn’t done that?

Disha Dalela. Never before, and that is not to say that it doesn’t happen all the time, have I realized how much braver the patients are than us.

Howard Sachs. I was so moved by the genuine and deep abiding gratitude of our patients. Even as they crashed before my eyes, all interactions ended with, ‘thank you doctor…’

Ellen Franciosi, Leanne Ondreicka, Skelly Enabulele, Cameron Thomson, Alan Xie. On March 23 through March 27, we interviewed three nurses who work at different hospitals (two in Boston, one in Worcester) and on different units (Linda: respiratory unit, Kelsey: intensive care unit (ICU), and Amanda: emergency department (ED)).

Benjamin Cook. The desire to act like you know what you’re doing and what you’re talking about is overwhelming. After all, I’m halfway through my second year of medical school, you’d think I should know something!

Pietro Mozzo. As medical practitioners, one of the traditional pillars of our profession is Primum non nocere. Yet, we have the power to do good and the power to do harm.

Cesar Rodriguez. It was near the end of the day on Friday, we had 3 patients left, and that was when she told me she was sending me in to see one of her newest, “non-talkers.”

Emilee Herringshaw. Layla was in search for conclusiveness, a sentiment that was unfamiliar.

August Felix. A wondered smile crossed your face when I awkwardly introduced myself. What’s a medical student doing here, you ask? This was remission.

Alexandra Bennett. Yet many of us still maintain and perpetuate this stark separation between the mouth and the rest of the body.

Shervin Rezaei. Much like the window in the corridor, her interpreter was a light in an otherwise unnavigable world.

Alan Xie. During the first week of my third year rotations, my internal medicine attending asked me, “What languages do you speak?”