Jun 1, 2026
Every shadow on a scan carries weight. And every patient deserves someone who knows how to read between the shadows—and then, to speak gently about what they see.
Sonal Kumar reflects on clinical observation, which is not just a skill, but a language that must be taught deliberately and with care.
The essay read in...
May 18, 2026
Medicine was not just about what we did for patients—it was about how we walked with them through life and death. A typical day for me might be a patient’s most vulnerable and life-defining moment.
Leonard Kuan-Pei Wang reflects on participating in an honor walk, a solemn tradition where hospital staff, family,...
May 4, 2026
The candles ignited my pants that evening. But the real culprit was my anxiety over making a good first impression: in an effort to avoid the approaching dean, I unwittingly backpedaled into an open flame.
Matthew R. Klein reflects on an embarrassing incident in medical school and the importance of sharing...
Apr 20, 2026
Discussing the unique role of the nocturnist, or the night shift clinician, in academic medicine, are Jessica Chambers, MD, MPH, Alex Rittenberg, MD, and John George, MD. They offer opportunities for pursuing scholarship related to night medicine and challenges to doing so as a nocturnist. And they emphasize the...
Apr 6, 2026
We do not always rage against the dying of the light. Sometimes, we allow the light to fade gently, with grace, in the presence of love.
Nezienwa Ezenwa reflects on a patient who demonstrated that medicine is not just about defying death. It is about honoring life.
This essay placed first in the 2025 Hope Babette...