A Quiet Place

Whenever I pass that room, though, I will think of it as G.’s. A sacred sanctuary—where medicine, care plans, and labels like “incontinent” and “terminal” fall away and where priority is placed instead upon two human beings connecting at two different junctures of life, united in this powerful moment of G.’s creation and a shared love of chocolate. G.’s space. His quiet place. Final-year nursing student Erin Bowdish reflects on the connection forged with a patient on comfort care during mealtime. This essay placed third in the 2024 Hope Babette Tang Humanism in Healthcare Essay Contest and was published in the October 2024 issue of Academic Medicine. Read the essay at academicmedicine.org.

Om Podcasten

Meet medical students and residents, clinicians and educators, health care thought leaders and researchers in this podcast from the journal Academic Medicine. Episodes chronicle the stories of these individuals as they experience the science and the art of medicine. Guests delve deeper into the issues shaping medical schools and teaching hospitals today. Subscribe to this podcast and listen as the conversation continues. The journal Academic Medicine serves as an international forum to advance knowledge about the principles, policy, and practice of research, education, and patient care in academic settings. Please note that the opinions expressed in this podcast are the guests’ alone, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the AAMC or its members.