Fourth-year medical student and alumna published in national narrative medicine journal
Fourth-year College of Medicine student Lauren Falcon and recent alumna Patty Sánchez Montejo, M.D. '25, were both recently published in Pulse: Voices from the Heart of Medicine, a national narrative medicine journal. Pulse was created by members of the Department of Family and Social Medicine at Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine in 2008. The online journal publishes stories about health care through the personal experiences of those who live it–patients, health professionals, students and caregivers, highlighting the humanity and vulnerability of all its actors. In doing so, Pulse "promotes the humanistic practice of medicine and encourages advocacy for compassionate health care for all."
Dr. Montejo's story, "Thank You, Betty," tells the story of a patient encountered on a shift in the Emergency Department during her fourth year at NEOMED. The story, which reflects on "the beauty of this profession: the chance to connect and heal in ways beyond the tangible," was initially written as an assignment in the M4 elective Narrative Medicine course. The class, taught by Rachel Bracken, Ph.D., asks students to write a story that needs to be told from their training and requires them to submit a piece for publication. Dr. Montejo's homage to Betty is a touching example of how reflective writing nurtures gratitude and appreciation for a career in medicine.
"When Milestones Fall Short," by M4 Lauren Falcon, was featured in a series on Disability on Pulse. This story was inspired by a family on her pediatrics rotation whose journey features growth that doesn’t follow a chart or timeline. "As a medical student," Lauren reflects, "I realized how easy it is to focus on what’s missing instead of what’s meaningful. That encounter reminded me to look beyond milestones because it doesn't always account for the progress made." Lauren was inspired to submit to Pulse after reading her friend and former classmate Dr. Montejo's story about Betty. It it fitting that Lauren, the founding president of the NEOMED Alliance for Disability Inclusion and Advocacy (NADIA), is featured in a special theme on Disability; this publication is just the latest iteration of her advocacy on behalf of folks with disabilities.
Congratulations to both of these authors, whose publications in Pulse embody the reflective, compassionate and patient-centered care we pride among NEOMED students and graduates.
- submitted by Rachel Bracken