Damane Zehra is a radiation oncology resident in Pakistan.
Social media is an incredible tool for staying connected with loved ones and the world. But sometimes, I wonder, are we truly connected? Or is this connection merely an illusion?
I was addicted to social media. I believe this addiction began in 2012, during my first year of medical school. That’s when I asked my father to install an internet connection, claiming it was just for study purposes. It’s a common …
A few days ago, a teacher of mine who taught me Urdu in school contacted me after years. I remember her well; she was a very kind lady who cared for me a lot. I was one of her favorite students. At that time, she was married and had a daughter who was a toddler.
During a phone call, she told me that she had been experiencing a high-grade …
I have felt anxious for most of my life.
Born into a poor family, my main goal has always been to become independent enough to support myself without needing to ask anyone for money to meet my basic necessities.
I witnessed my father frequently asking others for help whenever he faced significant challenges that his limited salary could not cover. For instance, he would reach out to people when it came time …
I had two bunnies over a year ago. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a proper environment for them, just a large cage in the courtyard. During the day, they would roam freely, and I would lock them in the cage at night for their safety.
They were very dear to me. I talked to them, cuddled them, and let them eat whatever I ate. They loved eating from my hands. …
I’m only sharing this story today to illustrate something about myself and my perspective on love: being expressive with it.
I am not discussing only romantic love here. I’m talking about the affection we have for so many individuals around us, including our parents, siblings, friends, teachers, coworkers, neighbors, pets, and even strangers.
Sometimes we fall in love with a random person’s actions, something they say, the way …
M has always been very close to me. She joined our hospital’s oncology department over ten years ago as a radiation technologist. Currently, she works as a medical physicist in our department and is the only female physicist in our hospital.
Her presence here is not due to luck or extraordinary circumstances; she has dedicated immense effort to her career. While many of her peers in the same position remain in …
I was leaving the mall after purchasing a gift for a friend. Her birthday was the next day, and after spending hours searching for the perfect present, I finally bought an expensive wallet that I was sure she would love.
It was a chilly evening, and as soon as I left the mall, I immediately felt the real intensity of the cold. The heating system inside the mall had masked the …
A 90-year-old gentleman has been admitted to our ward under the care of a neurologist. He was diagnosed with an ischemic stroke after experiencing weakness in his left upper limb and slurred speech. His mental status is fluctuating, and the stroke has impacted his memory. However, it has not affected his ability to walk and move around.
He and his wife had been living independently for the past 20 years. They …
My mother has always been very close to me. I was her eldest daughter, born in an unfamiliar city where she had relocated as a newlywed bride. She didn’t have any family or friends in this unfamiliar city. I was practically her only friend.
My mother began sharing her problems with me when I was very young. Sometimes I think she shared too much. She also told me intimate details about …
Trigger warning: sexual abuse, violence against women, and rape.
(Dr. Moumita Debnath, a 31-year-old female resident doctor from Kolkata, India, was discovered dead in a seminar hall at R.G. Kar Medical College on August 9, 2024. Her death was verified as the result of a violent sexual assault and murder. All this occurred while she was sleeping alone at night, on call. The autopsy indicated significant damage caused by severe physical …
It was a Sunday, and the day was bright and sunny. I was the only doctor on duty in the emergency room that day. On Sundays, our hospital typically has only a few staff members present, as most are off for the holiday except for those who are on call.
Interestingly, there were only two patients in the ward that day. All the other patients had been discharged. For the first …
My mom won’t be home that weekend
Since it was a Sunday, I told my dad that I needed to wake up early for work, so he should wake me up in the morning.
My mom and dad have very different approaches to waking up their children.
My mom’s approach is more aggressive. She shouts at the top of her lungs, turns on the light, and snatches the quilt from us. Sometimes, she …
I have worked in clinical oncology in Pakistan. As an oncology physician, I was not supposed to interact with patients in the ER. Recently, I had the opportunity to work with recent medical graduates in an emergency medicine setting. This experience was new for me, as I have been focused on oncology for a long time.
However, that’s the beauty of life—it pushes us to do things we never thought we …
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I have an eye for finding beautiful clothes. Though I find jeans and shirts/kurtas comfortable, I’m not sure why I adore the shalwar kameez so much! Perhaps it’s because it’s my national dress, and I adore everything that connects me to my homeland. Secondly, I’ve been wearing it since I was a child. My mother was an expert at sewing clothes, and she made all of my dresses.
Jeans and shirts/sweaters/kurtas/tops …
I believe in forgiveness and not hating anyone, no matter what. But, ultimately, we are all human. I believe in karma, and we should not hurt or push people to their limits so much that they become damaged beyond repair. I’ve seen cruel people end up in miserable lives. Some people excel at concealing their sorrows, while others struggle. But we indeed reap what we sow. Those who are cruel …
I visited my school after many years. I enrolled in first grade in 1998 at age five and graduated from FSc Pre-Medical (12th grade) in 2011. After that, I started medical school in 2012, and since then, I haven’t returned to my school.
It was one of those schools where skipping classes was simply not an option. The teachers were professional, dedicated, and sincere. Although it was a government school with …
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In today’s medical world, cancer treatment guidelines are constantly evolving. CME events are held worldwide to help health care professionals become more familiar with new treatments. They can be live events held at specific locations or online activities. I will not go into further detail about the CMEs or industry-sponsored CMEs because that is not the focus of this story.
The best thing about being a physician is the opportunity to …
I enjoy buying gifts for people I adore. It’s my love language. I enjoy seeing the smile, joy, or surprise in the eyes of those who receive my gifts. I live for these moments.
There were times when people did not express how much they appreciated my gift, but I could see it in their eyes. It’s not just my wild imagination; it’s because I’m always confident that what I buy …
Almost three years ago, I was the chief resident of our training program. The chief resident was primarily responsible for designing curricular activities in collaboration with the faculty, attending and representing the department and the residency program at the majority of hospital and administrative meetings, providing regular updates on resident performance, designing the on-call schedule and rotations, and supervising juniors.
It was the most difficult job for me. I found it …
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Sometimes in life, we experience feelings of desperation, uncertainty, confusion, or curiosity.
I was desperate and wanted to explore my options regarding employment after completing two fellowships, one in oncology and the second one in palliative care.
I don’t have many opportunities in my city due to the limited number of oncology centers. So I started considering other centers, especially in the surrounding cities.
I was thinking about the nearest city, which is …
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