The Tenuous Divide Between Physician and Patient: A Reflection on the First Place Prize for the 2024 Michael E. DeBakey Medical Student Poetry Awards

This edition of Poet’s Pen features Akshayaa Chittibabu, the winner of the 2024 Michael E. DeBakey Medical Student Poetry Awards. Her poem, “pre-aphasia counseling for the neurologist’s lover,” is a poignant reminder of life’s frailty and a striking example of the effectiveness of poetry to personalize the human aspects of disease. This annual contest is held in honor of Dr. Michael E. DeBakey (1908–2008), a pioneer in the field of cardiovascular surgery whose impact upon the practice of medicine cannot be overstated. In addition to being the preeminent cardiovascular surgeon of his day, he was a strong proponent of the medical humanities, which continue to provide an excellent avenue for physicians to connect with their patients. As demonstrated by Dr. Chittibabu’s poetry, they can also serve as effective reminders of just how easily the boundary between physician and patient may be traversed.