When people hear that someone wants to pursue medicine, the response is often the same. “That’s a lot.” A lot of school. A lot of stress. A lot of money. What usually goes unsaid is why so many people still choose it anyway. Medicine is not appealing because it is easy. It is appealing because it matters. It is one of the few careers where the work directly affects people every single day. Patients are not assignments or numbers. They are individuals with fears, families, and

During college, premed students believe all their activities must be related to medicine, whether through clinical hours, research, or shadowing. However, non-medical activities are equally essential for premed students. One of the most paramount benefits of engaging in non-medical activities is preventing burnout. Premed students are constantly under pressure to maintain grades and build their resumes for medical school. When students' entire identity revolves around grades

Emergency departments are often hectic and stressful places filled with patients who are uncertain and scared, and healthcare providers who are overworked and overstimulated. Some patients are in the midst of intense distress stemming from both pain and the psychological aspects of anxiety, fear, anger, or hopelessness that are associated with an emergency. The emotions involved in the interpersonal interactions between patients and healthcare providers in an emergency room p

A 32-year-old woman from Scotland presented to her primary care provider, reporting severe pelvic pain that started in her teenage years. For nearly 10 years, she had endured painful periods, daily cramps, nausea, bloating, and pain during or after sex. She often told herself that her symptoms were just “normal period pain” and did not seek medical help until her symptoms began to interfere with her daily life and activities. Over time, her menstrual cramps became so intense