I started this program with a general feeling of wanting to be a part of the change, but I walked away with the knowledge of how to be a part of the change. Personally, I recognized the power of words in changing hearts and minds. During the role-playing scenario, I was very touched when the doctor sincerely acknowledged their faults and said “I am sorry” to the parents. Surprisingly, these three words “I am sorry” carried more weight than I realized and it made me reflect on the times when I should have extended an apology. Too many times, I had been too prideful with my family. It is much easier to blame the circumstances or even them for what happened.

Imagining myself in this conversation with the family during the same scenario, I feel more empowered to say: I am sorry that your loved one was harmed because… Continue reading →

The past two days have been an eye-opening and challenging experience. Going into the second year of my medical school education, I looked to my future training years with a cheery optimism. While I recognized the various challenges in the delivery of quality and safe care in American hospitals, I lacked clarity on the complexity of this issue. For one, patient safety is often compromised because an individual’s negligence can slip through a culture that fosters silence and not enough transparency. As trainees recognize medically inappropriate procedures, it takes both courage and skill to speak up and intervene on the patient’s behalf. As health providers caring for patients, it takes a patient-centered perspective to go beyond consenting a procedure for liability waiver, and really advocate for patients through open and thorough discussions of their care.

Much like patients stuck on an island of suffering and helplessness, we the providers are… Continue reading →