A Lesson for the Intern



A Lesson for the Intern
The patient did not want the language line and had no relative to interpret.  
And so—the intern took the history in the patient's heavily accented English and presented that the patient was—as the term goes—a poor historian.
When I spoke to him in his native language---he was alert and focused.  He was rich in detail and appreciation.
The intern asked me if the patient had become suddenly more alert.
I admitted that certainly that was possible---but that more likely---as with us all---he didn’t think with an accent.

About this poem

real life in the Emergency Department

Font size:
Collection  PDF     
 

Written on March 27, 2022

Submitted by JamesEspinosaMD on October 11, 2022

Modified on April 07, 2023

29 sec read
58

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABCCDE
Characters 557
Words 96
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 6

James Espinosa MD

I am a practicing emergency physician who feels that now—more than ever perhaps—practitioners need the humanities in medicine and patients need the result of that process. more…

All James Espinosa MD poems | James Espinosa MD Books

3 fans

Discuss the poem A Lesson for the Intern with the community...

2 Comments
  • Globalart
    I remember in first grade my best friend was from Portugal. I did not look at her as a stranger or foreigner but as my sweet friend who was so kind to me.
    We used to read in front of the class. My friend struggled and was treated like she was not smart. So I did not understand this. It hurt me.
    I decided to sit next to her during reading and when it came time for her to read, I read with her. She in turn taught me Portuguese. I loved her and thought she was the most beautiful, brilliant person I ever met. I was in awe. My friend spoke two languages. I was so proud she chose me as a friend. 
    LikeReply1 year ago
  • Happiesmile
    I love this poem. This is a beautiful way to express how at one’s heart is not determined by an accent, or race. We want to be treated with kindness, and acceptance. I have often noticed that if I try to communicate with others, that looking at them as Brothers and sisters is key. The writer speaks about speaking to the patient in his own language. How the demeanor of the patient changes completely. This touches my heart. My father was of Spanish descent. He told me, “always try and speak to a stranger in their own language.” “It is a sign of respect.” “ It does not have to be a perfect pronunciation.” Dad told me, “it is a way of saying I love and accept you.” “We are family.”
    For a medical doctor to reach a patient and learn languages is remarkable. This is a outstanding lesson of dignity and care for others! 
    LikeReply1 year ago

Translation

Find a translation for this poem in other languages:

Select another language:

  • - Select -
  • 简体中文 (Chinese - Simplified)
  • 繁體中文 (Chinese - Traditional)
  • Español (Spanish)
  • Esperanto (Esperanto)
  • 日本語 (Japanese)
  • Português (Portuguese)
  • Deutsch (German)
  • العربية (Arabic)
  • Français (French)
  • Русский (Russian)
  • ಕನ್ನಡ (Kannada)
  • 한국어 (Korean)
  • עברית (Hebrew)
  • Gaeilge (Irish)
  • Українська (Ukrainian)
  • اردو (Urdu)
  • Magyar (Hungarian)
  • मानक हिन्दी (Hindi)
  • Indonesia (Indonesian)
  • Italiano (Italian)
  • தமிழ் (Tamil)
  • Türkçe (Turkish)
  • తెలుగు (Telugu)
  • ภาษาไทย (Thai)
  • Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
  • Čeština (Czech)
  • Polski (Polish)
  • Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)
  • Românește (Romanian)
  • Nederlands (Dutch)
  • Ελληνικά (Greek)
  • Latinum (Latin)
  • Svenska (Swedish)
  • Dansk (Danish)
  • Suomi (Finnish)
  • فارسی (Persian)
  • ייִדיש (Yiddish)
  • հայերեն (Armenian)
  • Norsk (Norwegian)
  • English (English)

Citation

Use the citation below to add this poem to your bibliography:

Style:MLAChicagoAPA

"A Lesson for the Intern" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 18 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/142342/a-lesson-for-the-intern>.

Become a member!

Join our community of poets and poetry lovers to share your work and offer feedback and encouragement to writers all over the world!

More poems by

James Espinosa MD

»

April 2024

Poetry Contest

Join our monthly contest for an opportunity to win cash prizes and attain global acclaim for your talent.
12
days
6
hours
26
minutes

Special Program

Earn Rewards!

Unlock exciting rewards such as a free mug and free contest pass by commenting on fellow members' poems today!

Browse Poetry.com

Quiz

Are you a poetry master?

»
A haiku has ________ lines.
A 3
B 2
C 4
D 5