My name is Sara Mohamed, and I’m part of the MD class of 2027. For my FLEX project, I wanted to learn more about people’s varying experiences with cancer. To do this, I collaborated with a patient partner who kindly shared a part of his story, including an encounter with cancer. More than that, though, he emphasized that his story and identity transcend a cancer diagnosis.
David’s emphasis on cancer being a small part of who he is highlights the importance of hearing and learning from people with lived experiences. As students keen on learning the medical aspects of illness and health, our focus is sometimes narrowed to this, but as future healthcare providers, we are not treating disease; we are treating people. To treat people, we need more opportunities to learn about health and disease in the context of people’s lives, which goes beyond a physical impact.
