Volume 16

August - 2020

Cover: Clarity of thought

I've recently discovered acrylic pour painting as a way to practice mindfulness and self-care. Through this series, I chose a blue-green palette to simulate sea foam and ocean waves. I love how the colors interplay and flow to created unexpected and mesmerizing results. While creating these pieces, I also felt any anxiety or stress also drifting away as the paint covered the empty canvas and dripped off the frame. I hope this series has a calming effect on the viewer, as it washes away negative thoughts and feelings for a moment.

Letter from the Editors:

Welcome to another wonderful volume of Art of Emergency Medicine that is jam-packed with paintings and photographs created by your colleagues in the specialty.

We here at AoEM have been working on focusing on the positives each day this month. It seems more and more it is the negatives in training or cases that seem to remain in our memories. Focusing on those positive interactions, no matter how small helps bring gratitude to our careers and help to prevent burnout. Finding those aspects in work that bring joy and positivity, even those as simple as bringing warm blankets or taking the extra 30 seconds to grab the warm gel before doing an ultrasound, can help with finding these positives in our career.

We wish you all the best in work and life this month and want to continue to thank you all for the wonderful work you do both in the hospital and out.

Alpenglow

I traveled to Alaska the winter before medical school. The anxiety surrounding application results was weighing heavy on my mind. I recalled witnessing this optical phenomenon where a pink-purple glow appeared in the sky opposite the setting sun. At that moment, I felt minuscule and my worries, too, scattered into nothingness. Standing in the middle of the calm Alaskan wilderness, I felt that I could breathe freely again for the first time in a long time.

Seasons of change

As my bio states, I love skiing and ice hockey. I will always be at peace looking at the mountains. It was relaxing painting it. However, it was also very mentally stimulating doing something new. Both key aspects of preventing burnout.

Life happened and I hadn’t done any artwork since high school until my wife and I thought trying oil paining again would be fun. It was!

Oil on Canvas

heavenly

Take a moment to step aside from the bustle, the traffic, the smog, and it's easy to see why my home is known as the city of angels.

Late night study

For medical students, late night study sessions are pretty common. I wanted this work to showcase the blend of the willpower and focus needed to pursue one's passion of medicine and the importance of retaining parts of ourselves that make us who we are. The textbooks, stethoscope, and laptop are juxtaposed with the plant, cat, and wall art, illustrating the different interests that we hold and how we can make space for it all. The mood of the painting is one of quiet determination and calmness. My art contributes to my wellness by offering me a creative escape from practice questions and flashcards, and inspires me to become a well-rounded healthcare provider and person.

Established 2009

This photo was actually taken during winter a couple of years ago. It remains one of my favorite shots though- capturing two of my closest friends as they look over the bridge behind our old high school. As the chaos of 2020 continues, I’ve relied heavily on my support system for a sense of stability. So this photo is dedicated to them for being my rock as I continue my medical education in a new city and a new coast. I hope it reminds you of warmer moments shared with your family and friends that you can hang onto during this difficult time.

Do you want to see your art shared with the community? Don’t forget to submit today!

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This Months Featured Artists:

Andrew Thorne, MD

I am an emergency medicine resident at Harbor-UCLA with a passion for wilderness medicine. I began pursuing photography in medical school as yet another way to engage with the outdoors and share the beauty I find with others.

Jenny Situ

I am an M3 attending the University of New Mexico interested in pursuing a career in emergency medicine. I have loved art for as long as I can remember. My medium of choice is graphite with an emphasis on photorealism. With a fuller schedule these past few years I found photography to be a great way of visualizing the 3D world as a 2D representation. I spend the rest of my free time running along the scenic trails of the Rio Grande and reading next to the river.

Jessica Shenoi

I am a medical student at the University of Oklahoma pursuing emergency medicine. I have been interested in art for as long as I can remember, and entered over 100 art contests as a child. In addition, I love making art for myself and as gifts for my family and friends. Art has been such a therapeutic activity during medical school, and is a passion I want to continue during my future career as an emergency medicine physician!

Kurt Lucas, MD

I’m a physician in community practice. I like to think of my hobbies as a good representation of the “jack of all trades” mentality of EM. I play the drums/piano, love ice hockey/skiing, working on cars, and have recently returned to art. Life happened and I hadn’t don’t any artwork since high school until my wife and I thought trying oil paining again would be fun. It was! See more of his work on Twitter.

Soujanya Kondameedi

I am an OMS-II at ATSU-SOMA, residing in Brooklyn and am an aspiring EM physician. I've always had an interest in photography, inspired further by classes in journalism and the rise of Instagram. Still an amateur photographer, I look forward to exploring this medium more and continue trying to capture the the world around us through my lens.

Tiffany Fan

I am an MS3 at UCLA interested in pursuing emergency medicine; however my career path took an unexpected turn this year as I needed to take a leave of absence for an urgent surgery. I rediscovered painting as an escape from pain during my illness and recovery, and hope my own experiences as a patient will shape my ability to provide empathetic care to vulnerable patients in the ED as a future provider.

You can learn more about the artists featured in this and other volumes at our contributors page!