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Journeys User4February 22, 2023February 22, 2023Clinical Training Experience, My Story, Words of WisdomIndia, Internal Medicine, Massachusetts, Nephrology, PGY4, Returning Author, Rhode Island

24 Hours in an ICU

By Dr. Sandipan Shringi

When a 33-year-old lies unconscious in front of you, it’s never a good sign. This 33-year-old, female patient was found unresponsive by her family. Despite trying medications for possible reversible causes, she did not wake up. She turned out to be an unfortunate case of catastrophic stroke. By the time I saw her, she had fixed, dilated pupils, no reflexes, and no movements. She was brought to the ICU to do more, only to realize there was nothing more available for her. She was already on a ventilator and the maximum doses of four pressors, which were barely able to keep her BP to 40 systolic. She eventually succumbed to her disease.

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Journeys User4July 27, 2021July 14, 2021My Story, Words of WisdomCOVID-19, India, Missouri, PGY4, Psychiatry

It’s Just the Beginning…

By Dr. Akriti Sinha

All of us have the power to make choices that define us. However, the freedom to dream is not the same for all of us. Childhood adversity, country of origin, socioeconomic status, family obligations, and our health can all shape our future. I have been fortunate to have had these factors work in my favor. While choosing medicine was exhilarating, moving to the United States in my early twenties, where I had no close family, to pursue higher training was a cause of great angst for my parents. Nevertheless, all that I received from them was love, and financial and emotional support, for an arduous year as I obtained clinical and research experience in New York City and Miami hospitals before matching into residency in 2017. I realize this privilege is uncommon for many, especially females, across the globe and I am forever indebted to my family for their support.

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Journeys User4March 10, 2021February 25, 2021Cross-cultural Experience, My StoryCOVID-19, North Dakota, Pakistan, PGY4, Psychiatry

You’ll Never Walk Alone

By Dr. Ahmad Khan

Living the “American Dream” was a phrase I heard a lot while growing up because many of my relatives were settled in the USA. During medical school, I had made up my mind to pursue psychiatry as a preferred specialty. After making a thorough comparison of psychiatry training in Pakistan, the United Kingdom, and the USA, I decided to aim for training in the United States.

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Journeys User4February 16, 2021February 16, 2021Clinical Training Experience, My StoryCardiovascular Disease, COVID-19, Guatemala, Illinois, PGY4

COVID-19: Tough Calls

By Dr. Juan Del Cid Fratti

I remember hearing on the news that in China there was an outbreak of a new respiratory virus. Shortly thereafter, this virus propagated all over the world. I made video calls to my family members back in Guatemala to discuss the importance of isolation and the use of masks. They were really scared because the virus was killing hundreds of people around the world and had just reached my home country. I was training in Chicago, Illinois at one of the biggest hospitals in the city. Cook County serves a large population of immigrants and non-insurance patients. It was a time of great uncertainty for many. The virus continued to spread and one day I received a phone call from my chief resident, indicating that I would be reassigned to the first medical COVID-19 response team. I agreed without thinking because I wanted to help these patients. After the conversation, I told the news to my wife and she started crying because she was worried about my safety. I decided not to tell my parents because this was relatively new, and they would have been very scared for my safety.

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Journeys User4January 20, 2021January 20, 2021Clinical Training Experience, My Story, Words of WisdomEndocrinology Diabetes and Metabolism, India, Internal Medicine, Massachusetts, PGY4, Well-being

One Size Does Not Fit All: IMG Wellness

By Dr. Priyanka Majety

It was Match Day! I’d been waiting for this day for three long years. As I opened the email with my trembling hands, I saw it. I refreshed the email to make sure it was real. I felt a roller coaster of emotions: I was elated, surprised, and relieved all at the same time. It was my dream come true. I matched to a university program in Boston. The next few days, I kept myself busy with paperwork and family celebrations. And then it hit me that I was going to leave my cocoon of comfort and move 7,984 miles away from home.

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