Global Day for Safe and Legal Abortions

These days, we are not meant to see women die from septic abortions. But that night, we did.

Abortion Care: Did I Provide My Best?

This single thought has me wishing I could go back, and do those four months again.

Ten Books Every Lifelong Learner Should Read

I like the concept of lifelong learning. I love the idea that you are not stuck with learning only about whatever you studied in college/university; I love the idea that you can gain knowledge about almost anything if you are inspired to do so (thank you, Google). I believe I am a life-long learner; and I believe that books are at least partially responsible for that.

Fifteen Lanes by S.J. Laidlaw [Book Review]

Here’s what I love about Fifteen Lanes: Grace and Noor aren’t pitted against each other. At no point are Grace’s issues made to seem petty compared to Noor’s. At no point is Grace made out to be a savior; and at no point is Noor the girl who “gives Grace perspective.” Because there is nothing as annoying as someone who says, “Wow, look at her struggles, I’m so lucky to have my life” – and then they carry on with their privileged life, thinking that a day spent playing pat-a-cake with some impoverished children absolves them.

What If Everything You Knew About Breastfeeding Was Wrong?

How does one react to seeing a book cover that claims breast feeding is “big business and bad policy”? If you’re me, you request a review copy of that book, fully intending to expose how wrong it is. As a medical student, one of the important things I was taught again and again is this:

Recovery, Divided or Together

The burns’ ward in our hospital is kind of special. It is the only ward that hosts men, women and children together. It is the only ward where everyone has exactly the same problem. It is one of our cleanest wards, and has a high staff-to-patient ratio. But it’s not a pleasant place. The smells

How To Run A Clinic Without A Voice

When I was asked by Figure 1 which one piece of medical equipment I valued above all others, I said “my hearing”. We were taught from the very beginning that a good history was our first step to an accurate diagnosis, and I have always valued a physician who LISTENS: to their patients, their students, their allies and their contemporaries.

Book Review: Three Daughters

From the fertile hills of a tiny village near Jerusalem to the elegant townhouses of Georgetown, Three Daughters is a historical saga that chronicles the lives, loves, and secrets of three generations of Palestinian Christian women. Three Daughters chronicles the lives of Miriam, Nadia and Nijmeh – three generations of daughters, wives and mothers. Although

On the Go: Jetting off to MWASA 2014

Firstly: I survived hell-week! It was very different than the first hell-week in April. In April I was examined on two completely different subjects a day. This month it was one a day, but with much wider subjects like Internal Medicine and Paediatrics, so it was still an insane amount of work.

A Simple Gesture To Make Gynae Exams Less Awkward

I’ve been on OBGYN for three weeks now. I had four weeks of OB in third year and four weeks of GYN in fifth year, and through it all the speculum examination has always been a bit of a nightmare for me. Visualising the cervix with as little as possible pain to your patient takes