By Margaret Miller, American Academy of Family Physicians, May 14, 2020
I'm sitting on my back porch in sunny South Carolina, where I recently experienced virtual graduation from my medical school in Tennessee, and I'm having a hard time writing this blog post. There are moving boxes to be unpacked in the kitchen, our mattress is lying on the bedroom floor, and the only place we have to sit in the living room is a giant recliner from Big Lots that we're forced to share until our couch arrives.
My husband -- another recent medical school graduate -- and I have spent every waking moment together for the past three months during isolation. Our last medical school classes, Match Day and graduation were all online. On a banal Monday afternoon two weeks ago, we drove away from our home of the past four years without hugging anyone goodbye.
I think most of you would agree that our current physical isolation has brought emotional isolation along with it. For me, it's generated increased anxiety, disappointment, sadness, and a longing to connect with others in a meaningful and helpful way. Stuck in this weird limbo between medical school and residency, I feel useless to the community around me and have a lost sense of purpose. I want to help, but I can't really help for another month. The best I can do to help right now is stay healthy at home for my fellow residents.
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