This Twitter-inspired poem was written by an infectious diseases pharmacist for Valentine’s Day.
Written By: Megan Seddon, Pharm.D.
[Last updated: 31st January 2020]
Our friends still don’t know what we do
Bless our Gram-stained hearts
PK/PD Queens and Kings
Of all the moving parts
.
Bugs and drugs and MICs
Negotiating, planting seeds
In vitro wants, in vivo dreams
Grace our Gram-stained hearts
.
Interactions, ADRs
Combing notes and checking MARs
Delabeling allergies (au revoir!)
Delights the Gram-stained heart
.
Relearning that which we were taught
Data diving, answers sought
Framing unrequested thoughts
And baring Gram-stained hearts
.
Working with Doctors, APPs
Nurses and Lab – our Phamily
Case management, Micro, ICP!
Makes strong our Gram-stained hearts
.
We bring to bear all that we know
Waging wars on tiny foes
To aid a cure, to heal, and so
Sustain our Gram-stained hearts
.
About What Inspired This Poem
The inspiration for this poem actually stemmed from Twitter. I began following some clinicians who are doing incredible things in that space – using creative writing to compose narrative threads about lessons learned in their experience of health care.
Prior to pharmacy school, I used to enjoy trying my hand at writing stories and poems. I think it must be a family trait – I can still quote from memory some of the poems my grandfather used to recite to us, and my dad (also a pharmacist) enjoyed poetry and occasionally penned some himself. Now, reading these amazing stories on Twitter, I began to want to challenge those particular creative muscles again. I will also note that I feel scientific writing has creative elements, though within a structure that must attempt to avoid bias.
I made it a goal to try to use creative writing to talk a little bit about what infectious diseases and antimicrobial stewardship pharmacists do. This poem was the result. I claim no comparison whatsoever with those amazing clinicians on Twitter – they are masters. I enjoyed writing this and hope some may appreciate or identify with it too.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr. Megan Seddon is an antimicrobial stewardship pharmacist practicing at Sarasota Memorial Hospital in Sarasota, FL. She completed her Doctor of Pharmacy degree at the University of Georgia, a PGY1 Pharmacy Practice Residency at Sarasota Memorial Health Care System in Sarasota, FL, and a PGY2 in Infectious Diseases at the University of South Carolina/Palmetto Health in Columbia, SC. Her practice interests include antimicrobial resistance, quality improvement, PK/PD, and rapid diagnostics.
You can find her on Twitter @ShorterSeddonRx
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