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Stories from the Frontline

Streams of Consciousness from Penn Internal Medicine during the COVD-19 Pandemic

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The Project

Stories shared by internal medicine physicians

at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania

The world is changing and we are at the frontline of a generation-defining pandemic. New, uncomfortable emotions and experiences are surfacing. We want to create a space to reflect, share, remember, and - most importantly - validate whatever reactions we are having. This is uncharted territory; Every week may be different. It's important to document how our perception of the situation continues to evolve. Each patient experience will stay with us, and many ethical grey zones are yet to come. The more we pour into our work, the greater the divide between ourselves and friends and family at home in isolation. This platform will bridge the gap.

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The call came a few days later. She asks me how I’m feeling. “Good, thanks for asking” I reply in my brightest voice. But as the words come out, I hear the tiniest bit of trepidation. She continues, “I’m glad you’re feeling well. I’m calling, however, to let you know that your send-out CoVID testing came back positive…” The facts of what happened made sense, but I start to question myself, wondering if my body betrayed me.

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"And as I heard my final 'I have another question...' of the day, all I could think was that I wish I had a better answer."

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"She asked me to hold her husband's hand as she sang to him over video. It was an honor that she would trust me to be a part of such an intimate moment."

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"I frequently oscillate between thinking I'm over- and under-reacting. Never quite comfortable with being somewhere in the middle. Never quite sure how to process any of this."

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Facetime in the ICU

I've been treating a patient for about a week now who went into cardiac arrest at home. His wife has not been able to visit because of...

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Questions about this project? Interested in helping out?

Please contact Michelle Silver, MD and Alex Linn, MD for further inquiries!

michelle.silver@pennmedicine.upenn.edu  |  alexandra.linn@pennmedicine.upenn.edu 

Views expressed in these stories are those of individuals and do not represent those of the University of Pennsylvania Health System of the Perelman School of Medicine


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