Damond Ng: The Burdens We Bear
Selected Excerpt
““Code blue, OR 4. Code blue, OR 4.” A billowing voice repeats this call to action with calm composure and cadence as if announcing grand rounds. Amidst the fray, I find myself 10 feet from the emergency. After a few moments of primal fear, I don a surgical mask and enter the operating room. Four robotic arms draped in plastic hover over a pale, hairy man. I don’t know his name or his malady, but I know he has no heartbeat. The charge nurse rushes past me with an AED. Scanning the faces in the room, I see shock, melancholy, and quiet confidence.”
Discussion Questions
What emotions in "The Burdens We Bear" resonate with you as the reader?
What is your reaction to how the code leader addressed the medical student after they were unsuccessful in resuscitating the patient?
How can we support trainees at all levels with their transitions in the new academic year?
Reflections from #MedHumChat
“The lingering effects of certain events, long after they are over.” —@mcshannon17
“The reconciling of these extraordinary events as a normal part of our job. “I realize a life escaped from beneath my palms for the first time. I didn’t even know his name.” Yet we then have to move on to care for the next patient.” —@jennifermcaputo
About this #MedHumChat
“The Burdens We Bear” was paired with the song “PGY3” by Dr. Roy Souaid and his band John Lebanon for a #MedHumChat on July 21, 2021 discussing Medical Trainee Transitions.
The pieces for this chat as well as the accompanying discussion questions were curated by Jennifer Caputo-Seidler (@jennifermcaputo).
About the Author
D.B. Ng is currently an Internal Medicine resident at UCLA Health, and at the time of publishing this piece was a fourth-year MD and MPH student at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California.