Reflections on Caring: An Introduction

Reflections on Caring: An Introduction Those of us who work in health care settings see so many stories, hear so many stories, carry so many stories along with us. With Howard Trachtman’s essay, “Traveling In Other People’s Shoes,” the editors of Current Problems in Pediatric and Adolescent Health Care are happy to introduce a new feature showcasing reflective writing. We’re hoping that our readers, from medical students and residents through experienced clinicians and attendings, will continue to send us their reflections on the experiences and transformations that occur through patient care and medical practice. Some of these stories are haunting and confusing, and others are joyful and even funny, reflecting the surprises of clinical practice and the endless variation that waits behind exam room doors. Those in training can sometimes see the medical world with fresh eyes, and those who have spent their lives

Curr Probl PediatrAdolesc Health Care, May 2016

working in that world can guide us to see hidden patterns, sorrows, and triumphs. We invite you to reflect, to tell your stories, and to contribute your narratives. As someone who has been writing about medicine since my own medical school days, I know first-hand that writing about the experiences of learning, practicing, and living your life in medicine can offer a range of satisfactions, challenges, and joys. I look forward to the opportunity of reading and editing reflective writing for Current Problems in Pediatric and Adolescent Health Care in the future.

Perri Klass, MD Professor of Journalism and Pediatrics, New York University, New York, NY

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