Don't underestimate the power...
...of a story
So the Story Goes
Hello, Doctor.
Have you ever thought about why there are stories?
Stories are how we understand relationships and make sense of the world around us. Stories have been used since ancient times to convey information, especially when the concepts are crucial to remember, important to pass down, or difficult to understand.
To demonstrate the power of stories , consider this example…
Let’s say you’re talking to your friend across the country. You could say, “It rained like crazy here on Tuesday.”
Or you could say, “It rained like crazy here on Tuesday! And it was my turn to give grand rounds. I was on my way, crossing the hospital courtyard, when the sky just opened up, and I got soaked! So there I was, in front of the whole auditorium, giving my lecture looking like a drowned rat.”
Which do you think your friend is more likely to remember?
Express. Influence. Inspire.
Stories can be powerful tools — as a way to remember information, connect with patients, and make your writing compelling.
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I’m happy to help you with your writing project. Get in touch and we’ll make it happen.
Welcome to the May issue. Pore over the newsletter to spring some inspiration.
In This Issue
Meeting Point
Going Long
Appearances
All That Glitters
Digging Deep
Sub Lime
Getting Acquainted: Perfect Picture
The Milk of Human Creativity
Meeting Point
I started something new in Pittsburgh called the Iron Writing Club. I lead a group of six participants for weekly 90-minute sessions. We write from prompts and then share our writing with the group. They’ve loved it!
“I haven’t written ‘for me’ in decades, so it’s been good to knock the rust off and gain back some confidence.”
“I am really enjoying it.”
“Very comfortable.”
“It feels like a fit for me.”
“It has been a very enriching experience.”
While we meet in person at a local coffee shop, I’m happy to organize a similar virtual experience for doctors. (Or an in-person version for doctors in Pittsburgh.)
Drop me a message to let me know you’re interested. If we have a critical mass, I’ll announce the launch of this new endeavor in the next issue of the newsletter.
Going Long
Another review on Scoop, MD came in. (This is the book I wrote toward the end of my previous business, Dr. Maria ON Speaking. Check out the saga here. Scroll down to “Blast from the Past.”) The algorithmic stars must be aligned for this book to be getting this burst of attention.
This is an example IRL that if your write a book, you can expect the long game. Sometimes longer than the reason for writing it.
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If you’ve ever thought about birthing a book, get in touch for all the prenatal care.
Appearances
I’ll be speaking at the Whitehall Public Library on May 20 about my inspiration, process, and author secrets. I hope you’ll join me!
All That Glitters
In the May issue of DocWriteRx™, read internal medicine physician Dr. Spencer Dorn’s essay about mentors and the toll of medicine. It will come to your inbox on May 9th.
Subscribe for full access.
Digging Deep
In the primer, we conclude the unit: How to Find Hope and Meaning in the Midst of Illness. This month, we consider the role of research studies.
Subscribe for full access to Writing & Storytelling in Healthcare: the Primer.
Sub Lime
Get your words in an upcoming issue of DocWriteRx™!
Please write 100 to 500 words on one of these topics…
How do you celebrate your wins?
Describe a day in the life of a doctor in your specialty.
What are the most common challenges you face in your practice?
Try a different form or style. It can be prose, free verse, or dramatic podcast script. Be as serious or funny as you want to be.
Upon publication, authors receive a free premium subscription of Healing Ink™ for one year, an $80 value. That includes all paywalled material and future bonuses in that year.
Click the button below to submit.
Getting Acquainted
Perfect Picture
One of my most treasured snapshots is of me and my anatomy group at my med school graduation.
On the first day of class, we had been thrown together alphabetically to labor over a cadaver. It was a bonding experience, born of necessity, for us strangers in a strange land. To have this photographic souvenir commemorating the end of our med school journey is precious, indeed.
In addition to the formaldehyde fumes, I remember my group mates’ personalities vividly.
Evan made it a point to dispute which costal cartilages truly articulated with the sternum. I have no idea what he’s doing now.
Jeff proved to be smart and charming. He became an orthopedic surgeon like his father. He married a woman named Marie. Their nomenclature mirrors me (Maria) and my husband, Jeff. He now practices in Florida and has had a brood of children as beautiful as their parents. We still exchange Christmas cards every year.
Then there was Anthony. Gorgeous like a Greek god. The epitome of Adonis.
Kind. Athletic. Friendly. Virtuous. Brilliant. Supportive.
He helped me sometimes when I struggled with the overwhelming material. I couldn’t pay him back, but that never concerned him.
After graduation, he headed off to Minnesota for an emergency medicine residency.
A couple years later, our classmate, Jean, ran into me outside the hospital.
“I have bad news.” She hesitated, wringing her hands and knitting her brow. “Anthony died.”
My jaw dropped. I stagger-stepped. I had planned on inviting him to my wedding.
I wondered how she knew, but it really didn't matter. “What happened?”
“Pick up basketball game. Sudden cardiac death. An unknown heart condition.” Leaving me dumbstruck and in shock, she ran to catch her bus. “I’m sorry to be telling you.”
I plodded to my car, then drove home in silence. Anthony was the first of my close contemporaries to go. It seemed wrong to lose such an amazing human being with so much life ahead and so much to offer the world.
At an intersection, I met eyes with another driver. He looked just like Anthony. Was it a coincidence, or was it him saying goodbye to me from the other side?
The car moved on through, and I proceeded to my apartment. I went inside, sunk onto my couch, and wept.
The Milk of Human Creativity
“A green leaf in May inspires a golden sentence on the page.”
See you next month for the next dose of Healing Ink™.
Check out our sister publication on Substack, Hot Off the Iron.
— Maria Simbra, MD, MA, MPH, Director and Principal of Ironed Words Productions, LLC