Michael Douglas! Michael is a 53yo primitive skills teacher, community mentor, and educator. I met him at his Maine Primitive Skills School and have been following his work ever since. We do not discuss the decade-old charge against him: please listen to the intro for further details. During this conversation, we discuss the importance of shared story, how community reverses entropy, and why the sacred question should guide us all.
Continue reading “Michael Douglas On Death – 20191010”Tag: medical school
On parental physicality (or baby chronicles: Part Nine)
To train for parenthood, I would recommend a training regimen of carrying a 15# dumbbell or kettlebell. Varying methods of holding the object, maybe by the handle, cradled against the chest, or even gentle dancing. Doesn’t matter, just keep holding it and don’t put it down.
Carry this object for increasing amounts of time. Maybe start with one accumulated hour of carrying every day. Build up to a few long (30+min) holds in there. Keep that thing close and with you all day.
Continue reading “On parental physicality (or baby chronicles: Part Nine)”On self-care in the time of a newborn (or baby chronicles: Part Six)
Time passes differently when you have a small baby in the home.
Continue reading “On self-care in the time of a newborn (or baby chronicles: Part Six)”On newborn reflections (or baby chronicles: Part Five)
So much has occurred over the past 13 days of life. I could write dozens of 500+word reflections without scrubbing the bottom of the pot for material. However, as a new parent of a newborn, I have neither the energy nor the dedicated time to start such an endeavor. So rather than jumping headlong into one topic, I will list some quick points to broadly cover the gamut of the past two weeks. Also, this better reflects my scatter-brained mind-space.
Continue reading “On newborn reflections (or baby chronicles: Part Five)”On a letter from past self and to future self, once again
Dear Past Eugene,
There is no way to prepare for the changes that you face ahead. The path to now, Current Eugene, is long and circuitous. You write “no two dogs, just a cat and an Andre.” Now, we have one dog, no Andre, and a baby on the way.
Continue reading “On a letter from past self and to future self, once again”
Ashley Caron On Death
Ashley Caron! Ashley is a 36yo Burly human, athlete, and badass mom. I met Ashley through her spouse, Michael, a previous interviewee on the podcast who is equally motivated and inspirational. During this conversation, we discuss the challenges of motherhood at 26 versus 36, the early death of her uncle, and why she wants desserts on her deathbed.
I hope you enjoy! 🙂
On doubt and interruptions (or 8 days to Step Two)
Practice test on Monday went well. Felt the fatigue as the sixth and seventh hours continued and this reflected in the scores. Test-taking will be as important as test-knowledge.
Continue reading “On doubt and interruptions (or 8 days to Step Two)”
On a return to the grind (or 15 days to Step Two)
This week with Mackenzi, baby, Honey, and Nala has been wonderful. Two humans with two dogs. Both are stinky and very needy, they walk at very different paces, and both love to gnaw on bully sticks. Most importantly, they both love to snuggle.
Continue reading “On a return to the grind (or 15 days to Step Two)”
John Giacalone On Death
John Giacalone! John is a 34yo husband, coach, and observer of patterns. I met John through mutual friends when I tweaked my neck after moving up to PA. Here, he is known as the Mobility Doc and the founder of the Lehigh Valley Barbell Club.
During this conversation, we discuss his vision for the future of both physical medicine and the world at large, speaking with his dying grandfather on the day of his wedding, and why he wants to be the guy that nobody knows.
I hope you enjoy! 🙂
Ayden LeRoux On Death
Ayden LeRoux! Ayden is a 29yo artist, writer, and BRCA1+ human. I’ve known Ayden since my grade school days where we won a swing dancing competition together and we haven’t spoken for almost half a decade, this interview served a chance to catch up and see where life has taken us. During this conversation, we discuss the intertwining of science and magic to predict her future health, Land Art installations as spirituality, and how a partner changes our plans for death.
I hope you enjoy 🙂
Eric Garza On Death
Eric Garza! Eric Garza is a 41yo professor, hunter, and suicide survivor. I met Eric online through primitive skills and ancestral plant groups, and his podcast A Worldview Apart caught my interest for his unique decolonization perspective. He speaks like a professor and as you’ll learn during this interview, has many diverse interests and skills from bow-making to inner tracking.
During this conversation, we discuss hunting as connection to landscape, pushing ourselves to take the shot and learn the skills, and the near death experience of his suicide attempt.
I hope you enjoy! 🙂
Kristin Clague Reihman On Death
Kristin Clague Reihman! Kristin is a 47yo physician, healer, and mother. She serves as a coach for students in my medical school program, and that’s how I met her during first year. I’ve been looking forward to this conversation, which we recorded in the room she birthed her fourth child. In this interview, we discuss the death of her mother when she was eighteen, her own near death experience fraught with pain, and how her spirituality is connecting with others.
I hope you enjoy! 🙂
On the first trimester (or baby chronicles: Part One)
March 21, 2018
4weeks 5days gestation
We found out on Wednesday, the second week of the Surgical Clerkship. Mackenzi took a urine pregnancy test the day before, but the results were inconclusive. I felt like I knew the weekend prior that she was with child. I didn’t tell her, though.
Continue reading “On the first trimester (or baby chronicles: Part One)”
Caroline Wilson On Death
Caroline Wilson! Caroline is a 19yo college student, positive human, and survivor of a traumatic brain injury. I met Caroline while coaching crew in New Hampshire for Great Bay Rowing, and she served as a right-hand coxswain for the team. During one of our dryland practices, she fell and hit her head on cement. This caused a 2wk-long Elmer Fudd stutter and a long road to recovery. Luckily, she had her grandmother nearby, who underwent chemotherapy at the time.
In this lovely conversation, we discuss the plastic nature of memories especially when you have impaired long-term memory, how a positive reframe of a situation can change your outlook on life, and the nature of social crutches and how they help us function.
I hope you enjoy! 🙂
Rashad Malik Davis On Death
Rashad Malik Davis! Rashad is a 26yo creative, lover of stories, and story-teller. I met Rashad during my undergraduate years at Tufts University, and I’ve quietly kept tabs on him ever since. He recently published his first illustrated children’s book, Carefree Like Me!, one that I highly recommend reading as he promotes empathy, compassion, and diversity through a heartfelt story. In this conversation, we discuss the painful genesis and healing journey of his book, his deeply rooted spirituality, and the importance of representation in the stories that we tell.
I hope you enjoy! 🙂
On Death revisited, again
This past December, I put On Death on hiatus. The interview series, released every other week, had been going strong since inception in March 2016. Originally every week, I extended the releases to every other week to better balance the medical student with the interviewer.
[REPOST] Camille Imbo On Death
Camille Imbo! Camille is a 25yo fourth year medical student, an older sister, and a black woman. I met her during a SELECT session this year and the rawness of her laugh put her on my radar. During this conversation, we discuss the importance of names and how they change identity, the politicization of blackness, the inseparable mix of purpose and potential, and the soulmate bond between herself and her grandmother.
I hope you enjoy! 🙂
On a wintery spring break (or how I met Honey)
Spring break, the week-long gap between my Women’s Health/Peds and Surgery clerkships, comes to an end today. We had far more snow than we expected, given the springy weather of the previous weeks. Winter in its final throes, I’m sure.
Continue reading “On a wintery spring break (or how I met Honey)”
[REPOST] Anna Shon On Death
Anna Shon! Anna is a 57yo mother of two, a devoted Catholic, and a good friend. In this conversation, we talk about the death of her parents and how this influenced her own vision for end of life, her aversion to burials, and her optimism for the future.
I hope you enjoy! 🙂
Aleks Bacewicz On Death
Aleks Bacewicz! Aleks is a 28yo fourth year medical student, future psychiatrist, and dancer. I rotated through Consult Liaison Psychiatry with her and we both grappled with a difficult case (20171008 – On “Jim”). During this conversation, we discuss her Polish heritage, her love of pole, and her restorative Sunday practices.
I hope you enjoy! 🙂
Camille Imbo On Death
Camille Imbo! Camille is a 25yo fourth year medical student, an older sister, and a black woman. I met her during a SELECT session this year and the rawness of her laugh put her on my radar. During this conversation, we discuss the importance of names and how they change identity, the politicization of blackness, the inseparable mix of purpose and potential, and the soulmate bond between herself and her grandmother.
I hope you enjoy! 🙂
Dave Del Negro On Death
Dave Del Negro! Dave is a 26yo third year medical student, athlete, and teacher. Dave has rotated with me through Internal Medicine and teaches wrestling at our informal fight club. During this conversation, we discuss his early diagnosis of ADHD, the value of competitive American Wrestling, and the subject of suicide.
I hope you enjoy!
Katrina Wachter On Death
Katrina Wachter! Katrina is a 24yo third year medical student, a musician, a second Lieutenant in the US Army, and a Christian. I’ve known her since the very first days of med school as she is my peer pair partner for the SELECT program. She’s an outstanding example of a human and I am so glad to finally bring her to you. During this conversation, we discuss the value of deep breathing and journaling, her encounters with death, and her desires for a family.
I hope you enjoy! 😀
On a tale of eight data points (or Step One: a post-mortem)
20170203 – CBSE – 178
20170401 – CBSSA Form 16 – 175
20170409 – CBSSA Form 15 – 203
20170412 – CBSE – 205
20170416 – CBSSA Form 18 – 192
20170422 – CBSSA Form 17– 205
UWorld 56% (cumulative correct)
20170519 – Step One – 209
Continue reading “On a tale of eight data points (or Step One: a post-mortem)”
Joel Eisenberg On Death
Joel Eisenberg! Joel is a 25yo third year medical student, a native of Florida, and lover of food. I’ve rotated with Joel throughout medical school and I’m excited to bring him to you. During this conversation, we discuss authenticity, how culinary school is more intense than medical school, and how his mother taught him about death.
I hope you enjoy!
On the other side (or 2 days since Step One)
On Thursday, I slept in Philadelphia with my partner at a small Airbnb near the testing center. On Friday, we sat for Step One and drove home to Coopersburg in a post-test daze. On Saturday, we started our morning to gunfire, a wounded man, and chaos.
Continue reading “On the other side (or 2 days since Step One)”
On the final stretch (or 5 days to Step One)
I feel ready. I feel tired. I feel excited.
Continue reading “On the final stretch (or 5 days to Step One)”
Rahul Paul On Death
Rahul Paul! Rahul is a 26yo Hindu-raised Bangladeshi, a third year medical student interested in emergency medicine, and a scientist. During this conversation, we discuss the relatable story of Krishna, the value of earned perspective, and why you should breathe into your balls.
I hope you enjoy! 🙂
On the move (or 12 days to Step One)
Thursday, Friday
(April 27 – 28)
Packing up the apartment. The beginning of the moving process. I forget how the first 50% of packing equals only 20% of the total amount of work involved.
On delaying the inevitable (or 18 days to Step One)
The new moon is Wednesday and I planned to sit for Step One on Tuesday. Instead, a rough practice exam last weekend shook my confidence and forced re-evaluation. Step is coming, but am I ready?
Continue reading “On delaying the inevitable (or 18 days to Step One)”
On necessary atrophy (or 8 days to Step One)
I want to move. I want to spend the day outside with the glorious Florida spring soaking up the rays of sun before I leave for Pennsylvania. I want to lift the heavy things with my partner. I want to set up my slackline next to my hammock and casually move between the two as I watch the sun trace a path across the sky.
Continue reading “On necessary atrophy (or 8 days to Step One)”
On bitter pills (or 15 days to Step One)
I don’t wanna. I know I need to, but I don’t wanna.
On time dilation (or 22 days to Step One)
I find it hard to believe that I’ve been studying for two weeks. Time seems to move differently during Step Prep. Day after day, each morning I wake up to my alarm, my partner makes coffee, and it feels the same. The morning fugue before I orient myself to the study tasks ahead.
Continue reading “On time dilation (or 22 days to Step One)”
On Wim Hof and Chill (or 29 days to Step One)
7a Wake up: make coffee, poop, stretch, water plants.
9a Begin studying: read a chapter from review texts and complete a block of practice questions.
2p Movement break. Eat food afterwards.
5p Resume studying: more question blocks and review the results.
9p Watch TV and eat.
10p Wind down and lights out.
11p Body in bed and sleep.
Rinse and repeat for twenty-nine more days.
Continue reading “On Wim Hof and Chill (or 29 days to Step One)”
On the change of seasons (or Course Seven: a post-mortem)
Tomorrow is the Vernal Equinox, the moment when day and night balance each other out, the mark of winter’s end and the start of spring. Florida has been expressing spring rebirth for some time with almost every tree pushing out new growth. Up north, in my childhood home of NH or the future home of PA, I know that snows have been freshly laid and the spring renewal is weeks, if not months, away.
Continue reading “On the change of seasons (or Course Seven: a post-mortem)”
On a maternal grandfather
I see death in three flavors, like an inevitable Neapolitan ice cream: someone close and loved, someone estranged or complicated, and someone distant. This is a story about someone distant.
On social weekends (or the start of Step Countdown)
This week, I’ve had a chance to flex and move my tired and atrophied social muscles. They’ve been casted and underused for much of second year and this week’s post-exam status and light lecture load allowed me full range of motion for the first time in months. Feels great. A bit tragic, though, because it will go right back in the cast after this weekend.
Continue reading “On social weekends (or the start of Step Countdown)”
On a minor concussion
27yo male presents 5days post-fall with occipital contact on semi-padded surface and no loss of consciousness.
Waking up on Saturday, I felt a little groggy. Not sure if it was the ice cream binge of black cherry talenti, or the late night of studying combined with a low pressure system rolling through the morning, or the mild brain trauma of Monday finally showing itself.
Meg Scott On Death
Meg Scott! Meg is a 23yo well-rounded second-year medical student, a follower of Christ, and a runner. I’m honored to call this deeply intelligent human my friend and I look forward to keeping tabs on her future career in surgery. In this conversation, we explore her relationship with Christ, how karate and horseback riding can teach you how to teach, and what the death of her close friend’s father taught her about death.
I hope you enjoy! 🙂
On lobsters and uncomfortable messages
While struggling with the new pressures of second year, a friend sent me a video about lobsters and growth. If you are struggling or feeling pressured, I highly recommend the 90sec story. The message of discomfort as a signal for growth has stuck with me. Now, in the final block of second year with a test tomorrow and on the road to Step, I finally feel like I’ve grown into a new shell.
On ramps (or merging into the traffic of responsibilities)
The past week has been a slow acceleration into the final Course of second year. All week, I’ve told folks that I’m treating it as an on-ramp; not quite at merging speed though I’m getting there.
Continue reading “On ramps (or merging into the traffic of responsibilities)”
On a New Year (or winter break in Yuba City)
After leaving the warmth of a Florida winter, with a quick layover in Minneapolis, we arrived in Northern California on the 28th. Yuba City, which is north of Sacramento (or ‘Sac’ as the natives say), is less a city and more a collection of orchards and rice paddies with some low buildings sprinkled in. My partner’s family lives in a small ranch home nestled between rows and rows of pruned trees waiting out the cold. Here, we enjoyed the second half of winter break with deliciously cold showers, slow wifi, and lots of comfort food.
Continue reading “On a New Year (or winter break in Yuba City)”
On Christmas (or winter break in Jacksonville)
Has it already been a week since finals? I’m writing this on Christmas morning with a fresh cup of coffee and not much on the agenda.
Continue reading “On Christmas (or winter break in Jacksonville)”
On a well-deserved break (or Course Six: a post-mortem)
Course Six, what a rollercoaster. The end of 2016 has brought about challenges and opportunities for growth in my academics, athletics, and personal life.
Continue reading “On a well-deserved break (or Course Six: a post-mortem)”
Talha Rashid On Death
Talha Rashid! Talha is a 27yo second year medical student, a Muslim, and a pessimist. As a quiet and reserved classmate, I’ve been itching to sit him down for an interview and to learn about his past. In this conversation, we cover the passing of his grandmother, Oblivion, and how Pakistani corruption formed the basis of his moral code.
I hope you enjoy! 🙂
On the end of a long month
November 2016 is finally in the rear-view mirror. It’s been a long and challenging month, but with the solstice ahead and winter break only two weeks away, I can revel in the fact that the grind will pause. So here’s a stream-of-consciousness reflection.
On Thanksgiving break
A few days off classes and four days with family does wonders for the psyche.
On a letter to future self
Dear Future Eugene,
I hope this finds you well. I know you normally don’t read your posts after they go up, but I hope you remember to look back on this one. Let’s say October 2017? You’ll be up in Lehigh Valley, knee deep into third year and your clinical clerkships. Maybe internal medicine, or you got surgery early. Hopefully, you are adapting well to the increased rigors.
On fall break
A bulleted recap of my week between Course Five and Six:
On a writer that doesn’t read
If we are what we do repeatedly, then I am a mover, a writer, and a student.
Steven Manobianco On Death
Steven Manobianco! Steve is a second year medical student, a late bloomer, and martial artist. In this conversation, we talk about the importance of getting a punch to the face, failure as a practice for success, and the spirituality in a doctor’s office.
I hope you enjoy! 🙂
On cut hair (or a meditation on identity)
For a while, I told myself that I would cut my hair to express mourning. I liked the idea of physically showing inner turmoil after the death of a family member, an outside change to reflect the inside like the ancient Greeks or Prince Zuko. Removing choice from the equation felt simpler: if someone dies, then I cut my hair. No decision to be made and no discussion or feedback to elicit.
Continue reading “On cut hair (or a meditation on identity)”
Julia Rauchfuss On Death
Julia Rauchfuss! Julia is a medical student (MS3 now, MS2 during recording in March), a sister, and a daughter. In this conversation, we cover why she’s a dreamer, how she wants to reuse her organs after death, and what family means to her.
I hope you enjoy! 🙂
Ben Croll On Death
Ben Croll! Ben is a 24yo second year medical student, former EMT, and 2nd Lieutenant in the US Air Force. In this lovely conversation, we talk about everything from Slaughterhouse Five, to what he learned from the passing of his father, and the importance of virtue versus accomplishment. Additionally, you’ll hear his undergrad philosophy background in his thoughtful and intellectually clear responses to the four prompts!
I hope you enjoy 🙂
On a fledgling romance (or an open love letter to my partner)
The highlight of the past year has been you, Mackenzi, and I want to put into written word the reasons why. I will fall short and I will look back on this letter with regret for phrases I could have added or words that I would excise. Regardless, I will bring a dictionary to the world of feelings and love.
Continue reading “On a fledgling romance (or an open love letter to my partner)”
On getting my groove back (or returning to my practices)
On Thursday, I experienced my first arm-bar: a submission technique where the elbow is cranked open into hyper-extension with the power of an opponent’s hips. While sparring earlier in the week with a different partner, I had been put into the position, but they did not apply pressure, did not force me to tap out of discomfort and panic. This partner did and I am truly grateful for that experience.
Continue reading “On getting my groove back (or returning to my practices)”
On pushing the boundaries and crossing the line (or a slice of humble pie as second year begins)
In a silly act of defiance for the sake of defiance, I decided to present my Summer Immersion research project while barefoot. Having looked at the syllabus thoroughly, I knew that professional dress was a minor, but notable component of my grade for the project and presentation: meaning I would not earn a failing grade for the stunt, just the ire of the SELECT administration.
On catching up again and again (or the calm before the MS2 storm)
While in NH a few weeks back, I met up with a CrossFit athlete and coach, Joey Vachon. He had recently competed in the East Regional, a feeder competition for the CrossFit Games, the highest level of measurement for the Sport of Fitness. It had been a few weeks since his debut at Regionals and I used this as an excuse to talk about him, rather than myself, while we caught up and ate burritos at Chipotle.
Continue reading “On catching up again and again (or the calm before the MS2 storm)”
On the road, from MO to FL (or summer travels: Part Ten)
What follows is a lightly edited and mostly stream-of-consciousness travel log of my journey from Florida to California and back again.
20160617 – Friday
I woke up in the morning around 730a, and felt like moving. On the drive over to the campsite, I had indulged in some gas station pizza and a donut and Pringles, to keep me awake and fed while I drove through the food desert of Missouri, especially at night. Feeling groggy and slow, I knew that moving would reinvigorate me.
Continue reading “On the road, from MO to FL (or summer travels: Part Ten)”
On the road, from CO to MO (or summer travels: Part Nine)
What follows is a lightly edited and mostly stream-of-consciousness travel log of my journey from Florida to California and back again.
20160615 – Wednesday
I woke up around 7a. The toilet worked well and without incident, thankfully, and I edited together my podcast with Par S for On Death while preparing coffee upstairs. Again, no one on the land except myself and the animals. Every time I went up, I triggered the Overly Alert Dog Alarm system and at least two pups would run up to me, crushing the silence.
Continue reading “On the road, from CO to MO (or summer travels: Part Nine)”
On the road, in CO (or summer travels: Part Eight)
What follows is a lightly edited and mostly stream-of-consciousness travel log of my journey from Florida to California and back again.
20160612 – Sunday
We woke up around 9a, making some jasmine tea in Ian’s quonset with his electric kettle to avoid the big morning rush of bodies to the COBS common kitchen. We talked and planned our day, as I’d be leaving the following morning since he had to leave for an overnight photography assignment around 8a.
Continue reading “On the road, in CO (or summer travels: Part Eight)”
On the road, from CA to CO (or summer travels: Part Seven)
What follows is a lightly edited and mostly stream-of-consciousness travel log of my journey from Florida to California and back again.
20160610 – Friday
Right now, I’m technically writing this on Saturday, at about 3a. I’m settling in and can’t quite wind down yet, still very jacked up on mountain dew from the sprint/marathon to Colorado, from LA and through Utah.
Continue reading “On the road, from CA to CO (or summer travels: Part Seven)”
On the road, in CA (or summer travels: Part Six)
What follows is a lightly edited and mostly stream-of-consciousness travel log of my journey from Florida to California and back again.
20160602 – 20160607
During which time, I lost my driving partner, gained a fiancee, met her family, and said goodbye.
Continue reading “On the road, in CA (or summer travels: Part Six)”
Nick Plimpton On Death
Nick Plimpton! Nick is a 32yo second year medical student, a polite Minnesotan, and a thoughtful future pediatrician. In this interview, we talk about the turbulence of a medical education, Minnesota and Disney princesses, and how to operate in this diverse world with folks of various gender identities, sexual orientations, ethnicities, and backgrounds.
I hope you enjoy! 🙂
On the road, in CA (or summer travels: Part Five)
What follows is a lightly edited and mostly stream-of-consciousness travel log of my journey from Florida to California and back again.
20160530 – Tuesday
We awoke around 9a, my partner before I so she began the coffee process in Mark’s kitchen, which was delightfully furnished. Stainless steel knives were suspended magnetically above the countertop, the gas range was sturdy and seemed cast-iron, and as she brewed, I tidied up a bit around the room.
Continue reading “On the road, in CA (or summer travels: Part Five)”
Eugene Kim On Death
Eugene Kim! Eugene is a rising second year medical student at USF, a coach of crossfit and crew, and the initiator of this podcast! This week, Mackenzi Frost (previous On Death interviewee) turns the four prompts on your usual host for a delightful and sometimes rambling conversation on teaching versus coaching, love versus fear, and the value of a practice.
I hope you enjoy! 🙂
On the road, from CO to UT (or summer travels: Part Three)
What follows is a lightly edited and mostly stream-of-consciousness travel log of my journey from Florida to California and back again.
20160521 – Saturday
It’s 430a and we are settled into the hotel just outside of Denver, our mad dash to the mountains completed— never really stepped foot onto Kansas, but I’ll explore these flat plains some other time.
Continue reading “On the road, from CO to UT (or summer travels: Part Three)”
Bansi Savla On Death
Bansi Savla! Bansi is a medical student, a Jain, and an incredibly thoughtful 22-year-old. During this lovely conversation, we talk about time, death, her faith, all in a way that is relatable and digs at essential truths.
I hope you enjoy! 🙂
On quiet endings (or First Year: a post-mortem)
I’m quite spent.
Continue reading “On quiet endings (or First Year: a post-mortem)”
Afif Abu-Hanna On Death
Afif Abu-Hanna! Afif is a first year medical student and a wonderful mix of American-Israeli, Arab, and Christian. We talk about the future of health care, week-long traditional Arab weddings and funerals, and the art of teaching.
I hope you enjoy!
On the transition from spring to summer (or Course Four: a post-mortem)
Three exams down, I’m sitting here waiting for Monday and preparing for Wednesday. Tomorrow, cumulative final exam scores will be posted and I’ll find out if I have passed Course Four, or if I’ve failed and required to remediate over the upcoming summer.
Continue reading “On the transition from spring to summer (or Course Four: a post-mortem)”
Jasmine Kashkoush On Death
Jasmine Kashkoush! Jasmine is a first year medical student, a Muslim, and incredibly insightful despite her age of 22. She is family-oriented, wants children, and the passing of her grandparents has informed her perspective on death.
I know you’ll dig this lovely conversation, please enjoy!
On the last three steps (or maintaining discipline as MS1 ends)
Experienced tight-ropers, whether slackers or wire-walkers, know that the last three steps are the most dangerous. Once you have a certain level of technical proficiency, then walking a long line is merely a matter of sustained attention and focus.
Continue reading “On the last three steps (or maintaining discipline as MS1 ends)”
Carly Waldman On Death
Carly Waldman! Carly is a first year medical student at USF, the daughter of a physician, and was raised in the Jewish faith. Currently, she aspires to be a surgeon, and her responses to the four prompts highlight her independence, depth of thought, and determination to heal others in order to help them.
I hope you enjoy!
On the rhythms of life and riding the wobble (or the end of my CrossFit Gaspar journey and the start of Jiu Jitsu)
Goodbye CrossFit Gaspar. I love you all.
Hello Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. This going to be a wild ride.
Preethi Rajan On Death
This week, we listen to Preethi Rajan‘s responses to the four prompts!
She’s a first year medical student without a science degree (big deal!), the daughter of immigrants, as well as a thoughtful lady with a depth of life experience. We talk about arranged marriages, breaking bad news, and love. She currently aspires to be a pediatrician, and also actively performs with Say Ahh! Capella, a USF Health student acapella group.
Preethi’s responses will leave you thinking, and I hope you enjoy!
On being alone versus being lonely (or coming to grips with the absence of invitations)
Friday night. I see the posts on facebook: peers are out on the town, burning the club down.
Saturday morning. I watch the stories on snapchat: friends on adventures without me.
And I’m alone, sweating in an empty Korean spa, writing and reading until I fall asleep.
Samson Lu On Death
This week, we listen to Samson Lu‘s responses to our four prompts On Death! He’s an incredibly talented and passionate musician, as well as a MD/MPH student and my doppelganger. His thoughtful discussions on race, music, teaching, and legacies will leave you much to ponder!
I hope you enjoy!
On teaching a panda Kung Fu (or the dilemma of a medical education)
How do you learn to teach? How do you teach to learn?
Continue reading “On teaching a panda Kung Fu (or the dilemma of a medical education)”
On an abortion debate (or the benefits of controlled stress on a relationship)
“Frost.”
“Ohhh… I’m sorry. You’re up, Mackenzi.”
“Kim.”
“…”
And then the lecture hall went nuts.
Continue reading “On an abortion debate (or the benefits of controlled stress on a relationship)”
On being a zebra, not a cheetah (or failing most of medical school)
I am a zebra; chunky, awkwardly proportioned, and highly visible. I am not a cheetah.
Continue reading “On being a zebra, not a cheetah (or failing most of medical school)”
Bansi Savla On Death
This week On Death, we chat with Bansi Savla! She’s a terribly sweet fellow medical student at USF, and she gives some delightfully thoughtful and unique answers to the four prompts. I know you’ll enjoy this conversation, her personality shines through the recording!
Julia Rauchfuss On Death
This week On Death, we sit down and chat with Julia Rauchfuss!
She’s a lovely (and quite mousy) MS2 that I’ve known for a while now, but this is the first time I’ve really ever sat down one-on-one with her and dove into some deep subjects! I think you’ll enjoy this conversation and be delighted by her responses 🙂
Randall Sheffield On Death
This week On Death, we chat with Randall Sheffield and hear his responses to the four prompts! Randy is one of my best friends within medical school, and an outstanding coach and athlete. Thoughtful, kind, and humble a few ways to describe him. During this delightful conversation, we talk about travel, love, and family.
I hope you enjoy!
Ali-Musa Jaffer On Death
This week On Death, we hear Ali’s thoughtful and well-versed thoughts on the four prompts! He’s a fellow medical student at USF, and we met during the first days of classes. Since then, he’s invited me to Friday prayers, and we’ve had some excellent conversations. I knew he’d be a great guest: he did not disappoint!
Sit back, and enjoy 🙂
On learning through Rorschach tests (or a meditation on walking sticks and tapestries)
What is a 5′ long x 1″ diameter PVC pipe to you?
Michael Watson On Death
This week On Death, we sit down with Michael Watson, a good friend of mine and a second year medical student at USF! We talk about coaching, fear, hunting, and skin in the game. This is a lovely conversation and I am glad to share it with you 🙂
On Death (or: Life, as told through four prompts)
I am a student, coach, and writer.
Before I die, I want love to outweigh fear.
When I die, I want to return to nature and the collective consciousness.
After I die, I want the experiments of technology, civilization, mammals, and life to flourish sustainably.
Continue reading “On Death (or: Life, as told through four prompts)”
On positive and negative alarms (or a meditation on hourglasses and tattoos)
Back in undergrad, a friend told me a story about nuclear power plants.
Continue reading “On positive and negative alarms (or a meditation on hourglasses and tattoos)”
Mackenzi Frost On Death
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Sat down with Mackenzi Frost, at her home in Tampa, FL, for the inaugural On Death podcast! I walk through the four prompts with her and cover a lot of ground on the way there.
On ‘hell yes’ or ‘no’ (or the guilt of declining plans and dealing with the inevitable FOMO)
All throughout Tampa and St. Petersburg this weekend, the streets are filled with pirates.
Eugene H Kim 