Editor’s Note Zora Neale Hurston once said “There are years that ask questions, and years TABLE OF CONTENTS that answer.” SHIPWRECK AT FT. WILLIAM, SCOTLAND ·································· 6 2020 was a year that came with its own set of questions. A year that took loved ones, celebrations, and opportunities from us. A year that taught us racism is SEASON CHANGE ······································································ 7 still evident and the importance of unity in fighting this injustice. A year that test- ed our patience, resilience, and adaptability. A year that we may never forget. A COVID YEAR: A WORLD IN FEAR ··········································· 8 Though the year brought many questions, we brought our answers whether through artwork, prose, or poetry. CRINKLED LOVE ········································································ 10 Welcome to Scope, the literary journal for SIU School of Medicine! Often, sci- CALM LAKE WITH LILY PADS ···················································· 11 ence and art are seen as two different entities. Science is thought of as a left brain dominant task and art as a right brain dominant task. We at Scope believe DREAMSCAPES ········································································· 12 no one is limited to just one skill. We find that medicine is where both science STRANGER THINGS ···································································· 13 and art converge. GUITAR ······················································································· 14 Thanks to the unconditional support of Mr. Roger Robinson, we were able to establish Scope in 1993, giving our medical community a concrete space where BARRIERS···················································································· 15 science and art could be explored and celebrated. 28 years later, Scope contin- ues to serve as an important outlet for our community, arguably more so this CHANGING SEASONS ······························································ 16 past year than any other year before. I believe Mr. Robinson would be proud to see what Scope has become to our community. We at Scope are grateful for all FULL BLOOM ·············································································· 17 his hard work and dedication to the establishment of this magazine. IDENTITY MAP ············································································ 18 I would like to thank everyone that contributed to our 2021 edition. Thank you to TWO TRAINS PASSING ······························································ 20 our many talented artists for sharing some of their most vulnerable works with us. Thank you to my colleagues who worked hard to help amplify the visions of FIELD AT SUNSET ········································································ 22 our artists. Finally, thank you to our readers for being present. We hope you enjoy! TURNING TIDES ·········································································· 23 To 2021, a year of more answers. MICROAGGRESSIONS ······························································ 24 Bukky Tabiti, MSIII STATE OF REPAIR ······································································· 26 ONCE IN A THOUSAND LIFETIMES ··········································· 27 Editor-in-Chief Bukky Tabiti A 2020 WISH ·············································································· 28 Faculty Advisors Christine Todd, MD and Kathleen Jones, PhD THE CHING CHONG SONG ····················································· 29 Review Staff Ashay Vaidya, Catherine Greene, Gregory Harpring, UNTITLED ···················································································· 30 Logan Grubb, Stephanie Short, Janet Martin Staff Advisors Steve Sandstrom, Kristie Parkins, Jordan Hammer JAMAICA’S PEACOCK····························································· 31 1 2 VIRTUAL INTERVIEW/COSTUME CHANGE ······························· 33 ASTONISHED ············································································· 34 BARN AT SUNSET ······································································· 37 THE TOUCH OF A LETTER ·························································· 38 GLIMPSES OF GRANDMA ························································ 44 VISION ······················································································· 45 BLEEDING HEART ······································································ 46 NICU ADIEU ··············································································· 47 LIFE FLUORESCENT ···································································· 48 TRAILER TRASH ·········································································· 49 PIKKU HALSSI RETREAT ······························································ 50 WHEN THIS IS OVER, WHEN ······················································ 51 LINCOLN PARK ········································································· 52 FRENCH TOAST ········································································· 53 BAD THINGS HAPPEN ······························································· 54 MENACING GAZE/A VERY BERRY BREAKFAST ······················· 60 Roger Robinson 1934-2020 PRIORITIES·················································································· 61 23, 24, 25 ··················································································· 62 SCOPE dedicates this issue to Roger Robinson, the Assistant Dean of Students in Carbondale for SIUSOM until his retirement in 1994. Roger SOULREST ·················································································· 63 supported, encouraged and mentored scores of medical students during his career, and SCOPE would not have existed without his ICY LEAF ···················································································· 64 guidance and backing. SCOPE is proud to continue the community SLOW REFLECTIONS ON RAPID CHANGE ······························ 65 discussion that Roger began over 25 years ago. HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT ···························································· 66 3 4 Roger Robinson Shipwreck at Fort William, Scotland A Remembrance by J. Kevin Dorsey, MD, PhD Digital Photography In the summer of 1973 members of the charter class and I, a newly hired biochemistry faculty, arrived in Carbondale to begin an innovative experiment in medical education. Dick Moy, MD, the founding dean, was determined to create something better than the education he had been “subjected to.” There would be integrated organ system instruction in the basic sciences, early clinical skills training, no grades and the concept of mastery learning: do it/test it until you get it right. With the three-year, round-the-calendar curriculum starting in Carbondale, one of Dr. Moy’s wisest moves was to recruit a few education specialists to help launch his untested model. Roger Robinson was the quiet leader of those pioneers in medical education. Joining them was a small cadre of basic scientists willing to try something unique. Both faculty and students were thrust into this new curriculum that was literally being created on the fly, just a few steps ahead of the students. From my perspective, Roger always seemed to be the man in the middle. He could make the pedagogy rational to both the science content module authors as well as to the learners on the receiving end. He was calm and reassuring at a time when metaphors such as “drinking from a firehose” were used to describe student life. A few years later when I changed careers and became a medical student, Roger again emerged as a steady hand, almost like an older brother who had been in your shoes and knew you could handle the problem. Forty-five years later I can still remember his feedback to me By Ian Pollock, Staff—Library after observing a simulated patient interview that took a turn and was no longer simulated. He helped beginners acquire confidence. SIU School of Medicine has educational innovation in its DNA, and this has been sustained thanks to the foundation created in those early days in Carbondale when faculty and students who were willing to take risks listened to each other and were gently guided by Roger Robinson. 5 6 Season Change A Covid Year: A World in Fear By Cynda Strong, Community Member By Kathryn Waldyke, MD Faculty—PA Program, FCM Carbondale Naked branches moan Times never seen Half faces smile Wind whipped hair and runny nose By living men Safe under mask Winter’s entrance looms What does it mean? More lawsuits filed When will it end? Take rules to task Less getting sleep Keep healthy kid More anxious mind In schooling pod Close contacts keep Zoom classes did New havens find Feel rather odd More washing hands More baking bread More biting nails Less eating out Hair in long strands More stories read Home haircut fails Still people pout Watch savings sink Less busy gym Safe margins thin More eating sweets Some people drink Clothes options slim When stim-check’s in Hard looking neat More people quit But WebEx wear Lose psychic fight Fits loosely—see? Drug ODs hit Let cam’ra stare New record height At cat, not me More data seen More doggy time Who’s keeping track? Glad wagging tails Keep research clean Less worry grime Take errors back Clean floor assails Grim nurse’s face Less dusting too Sees doctors cry Why neaten up? New vaccine race No houseguests through As patients