For you will be invincible

          and vulnerable in the same breath

          which is the breath of your patients

For their breath is our breathing and our reason

For the patient will know the answer

          and you will ask him

          ask her

For the family may know the answer

For there may be no answer

-John Stone, “Gaudeamus Igitur: A Valediction”

 
I first learned to interact with poetry as a college freshman. Because I tested out of calculus, I was automatically signed up for a literature class focusing on medicine. I have always loved to read, but I was terrified of a 300-level English class. I had absolutely no useful academic background in the subject, but I did my best to keep calm. The course, along with subsequent courses in the medical humanities, turned out to be one of the highlights of my undergraduate career. With the help of engaging content and a dedicated professor, I learned to read, write and think. Most importantly, I learned that the act of seeking understanding is as important as acquiring definitive knowledge. Read more