Volume 17

September - 2020

Cover: Tetons in Summer

After 14 weeks of grueling back-to-back EM audition rotations, and 15 months of medical school rotations without a vacation, I took an impromptu 10 hour drive to the tiny town of Tetonia, Idaho. There I was able to look at the stars, get lost in the woods, and be hundreds of miles away from anyone who knows that a SLOE is.

Medicine, and particularly the match process, can be demoralizing and cause us to lose sight of what’s important in life. Sometimes wellness is eating healthy or working out. Other times putting physical, emotional, or psychological distance between medicine and the person you are outside of the hospital.

Paint on Pine Board

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.

It’s been another crazy month, but we hope that you are able to take a moment to sit and enjoy this collection of amazing artwork created by Emergency Professionals. We hope it provides you some calm in your day, a moment to take a deep breath in and distance yourself from the stresses that may be swirling around your head currently. A moment of peace.

Yosemite

I took this as I was driving into Yosemite for an EM CME organized by my colleagues in 2019.

August

I did this piece early in August 2020. I'm an intern and finding time for my non-medical hobbies is getting harder to balance, but I had a free evening earlier this month and had a scheduled call with my close college friends. I painted the beginnings of this piece while on the phone with them and it was a very needed moment of wellness. I'm appreciating all my small moments of freedom and time with my friends and family exponentially more during intern year.

Oil on Canvas

A Journey to the past

I am a National Parks Geek. I have traveled to 46 of the 61 official National Parks. I find the National Parks to be havens for escape, for reflection, for understanding our place in the world. I have seen the beauty of nature and creation and have felt inspired by it. Some have brought a tear to my eye as I stand in sheer awe of the enormity of them. How can you not be moved by something greater than yourself and not come away motivated to do better, be better, live better?

When You wish upon a star…

I fully believe there are multiple aspects to wellness. Rest and rejuvenation are two of them, but they are not always compatible with each other, and at times you may need one more than the other. For me, driving 6 hours to capture this photo at Joshua Tree was exhausting, not restful, and made me feel tired the next morning waking up. However, the amount of benefit I received rejuvenating my mind, spirit, and emotion with the inspiration of seeing Comet NEOWISE streak across space and sky was intensely beneficial. After long shifts, emotionally trying days, or stressful experiences, taking the time for these moments is crucial and fills my spirit and preps me for the next weeks and months of my time in the hospital.

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

Finally, don’t forget to share Art of Emergency Medicine with your colleagues, friends, and family on Twitter or Instagram and like us on Facebook for all the latest news!

This Months Featured Artists:

Chris Coletti

Involved with the administrative and clinical practice of EM.

Diana Halloran, MD

I am a new emergency medicine intern physician at Northwestern University and am passionate about social emergency medicine, health policy, and health disparities in medicine. I have considered art as my duality to science since high school and I chose to double major in studio art and biology in college. My favorite media include charcoal drawing and oil painting, and I am always exploring and refining my art style. Other hobbies that I enjoy include reading science fiction, running, and hiking. See more of her work on instagram or twitter.

Joshua Goldstein, MD

I’m an EM PGY 1 at UM/Jackson in Miami. I’ve been painting on scrap pieces of wood since I was in college, when canvas was expensive and our campus handyman was particularly generous. When I’m not painting or working, you can find me on the water, fishing, SCUBA diving, and catching lobster.

Veronica Bonales, MD

I'm an Emergency Physician that has always loved photography. I take photos of things that make me happy and hope that joy carries over to the viewer. I've held a camera in my hands since the age of five and have carried one everywhere I've gone since. I've started expanding into the finer art of painting in watercolor and oils (as can be shown by my prior cover shot.) You can see more of her work on instagram.

Jonathan Warren, MD

A PGY-1 at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center and founder of Art of Emergency Medicine. His hobbies include photography, hiking, Netflix, and dogs. He’s always on the lookout for the next adventure. Find more of his photography on Instagram.

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