Palliative Medicine: How Meeting the Dyings Turned Me Toward Medicine

I have grown to love and admire the work of physicians who treat terminally ill patients. Though my experiences in the Palliative Care Unit were in defiance to my earlier dreams of curing diseases and saving lives, I have grown to appreciate the practical aspects of a physician’s life. As my romantic views of medicine metamorphosed into pragmatic ones, I began to realize that one can gain satisfaction not only through curing diseases, but also, through helping someone feel better by listening to their stories, and serving as a support as they struggle to grasp their fate. Here in the Palliative Care Unit, I learned that making ethical considerations could become an everyday matter in a physician’s life. “Should we continue with treatment? Or, should we allow the patients to live the remaining days with friends and families without the undesired effect of chemotherapy?” Posing these questions, though uncomfortable, are often part of a physician’s job. Shadowing in the Palliative Care Unit, I began to understand that the role of a physician could extend beyond the pen and the prescription pad. Sometimes, issues such as “who will cook for the frail patient” may become a concern of a physician. As I reflect on my experiences in the Palliative Care Unit, far from turning me away, it got me more interested in confronting the challenges of a physician, and most importantly, I learned the significance of approaching the patient as a whole, and not only as a vessel for illness

Bench to Bedside: Where is the Focus on Bedside to Community?

From the first day I stepped into the Jobst Laboratory at the University of Michigan, the idea of discovering causes and cures for diseases intrigued me, and as I matured, I could not imagine a better way to make my contribution to humanity than to be part of this discovery process. I have always been interested in Chemistry. Few years ago I moved to the University of Michigan College of Pharmacy to major in Pharmaceutical Sciences, and when I finally got my hands on this subject, I have naturally wondered "Could we deliver drugs using red blood as a delivery vehicle?" I was inspired by my peers and mentors. I began to imagine a day when my discoveries would sooth the pain of many. But was I too romantic with such imagination? Perhaps.

Few years ago I joined an organization called GlobeMed which is focused on understanding health care disparities. While serving in underprivileged communities as part of this organization, I became aware of the rift between scientific innovations and access to such innovations. In these communities, I came to realize that making novel drugs available does not necessarily mean simply putting these drugs in the hands of people who need them. In the world of translational research, we boast about getting discoveries from bench to bedside, but in the process, what we forget is translating discoveries from the bedside of few to the bedside of all.

Of course, I am undermining the role of investigators and scientific investigations. We should not stop our inquiring mind. I haven't. I still plan to continue my passion for research and am still asking the same questions I asked myself many years ago: "Could we deliver drugs using red blood as a delivery vehicle?" But along with asking this question, I have also managed to ask myself: Will be mother be able to access such a innovation? Hopefully, such questions will enable us to realize that scientific innovation alone is not enough. We need to come out of the constrain of laboratory and to collaborate with other disciplines to make scientific innovation more accessible to people.

Beginning...

I have opened this blog for almost two years now. Unable to find a perfect name for my blog, I have postponed writing anything. Finally, I have agreed on a name: Journey. I think this is a perfect name for my blog because I plan to write in this blog of all the events, thoughts, trials, and triumphs that mark my life. In short, I will be writing about the journey I make in my life. At this point, I do not intend to write on my blog regularly. I will only transcribe when I feel I am consumed with thoughts tickling my mind and waiting to be told to the public or just needs an outlet to crawl out of my mind.

Let us see how this work...