INTIMA FALL 2024 | FIELD NOTES

Click on the title of the essay to read.

Coffee and Crosswords | Tiffany Chen

Clued into the moment: A medical student grows protective of an ailing veteran facing an imminent surgery. 

Curveballs | Kaitlyn Reasoner

Pressurized, under pressure are words (and memories) with meaning for those who were becoming doctors during the COVID-19 crisis.

Doctor Dad | Tajwar Taher

During a lazy morning with his young daughter, a new doctor reflects on his priorities.

Homebound, John | Kathryn Mousaw

A nurse becomes attached to a homebound patient—a surprisingly optimistic man.

Invisible | Joanne Wilkinson

Attending to the care of an Alzheimer’s patient heading into hospice, a physician pauses to think about the meaningfulness of it all.

Managed Care | Jennifer Anderson

If you do not know what the four stages of compassion fatigue are (often experienced by caregivers exposed to stress and trauma), read this short essay, stat.

Signposts | Andrea L. Merrill

Lessons learned and knowledge earned: Early on in her surgical career, a doctor meets and treats a patient who pushes the boundaries of care.

String of Pearls | Elizabeth Ryder

Reproductive rights will be endlessly debated, but during an OB-GYN appointment, a chaplain considers all of the complexities involved in her own lifetime of choices.

Top Surgery | Angela Tang-Tan

While attending to a patient undergoing gender-affirming surgery, the author considers her own body and identity. 

Up | Hanna Saltzman

Toys, fevers, late-night emergencies, early morning cuddles: A pediatrician reckons with the traumas of her profession while trying to savor motherhood.

What Cutting My Baby Boy’s Christmas PJ Tags Taught Me
About Distorted Worries | Steffi Gauguet

Work intrudes on our personal lives in strange ways. A pediatric intensive care physician shares a revelation and her relief at finding a joyful resolution.

You, Who? | Peter Bingham

If a child zones out, adults worry it may be a sign of a neurological issue. But is it simply a response to the noise of the world? A clinician sorts through the questions and quiets the concerns.