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Shirlywhirl, M.D.
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2021-12-08

🪦 In today’s episode of “Having Some Time Off Really Should be Relaxing but Instead It’s Giving my Brain Enough Latitude to be like Why the Hell did you Sign up for This, Do You not Value Yourself at All”

Man. 🫀 is a trip, in that I love what I learn (I’m still slow as heck but I’m getting better at reading echos & EKGs & guidelines!), but I’m really starting to feel the weight of the personal sacrifices it’s taken me to get here. In my early 20s, it made sense to keep moving to the next ladder, to the next step, to always be grinding. Lately though, I’ve become a lot more aware of my mortality, of the value of my physical and mental health, of my relationships…and of just how much I want out of my life. I was never going to be the person who defined themselves as a Cardiologist full stop. I want kids I actually see. I want to maintain my creative drive. I want to open up my shop again, & to properly learn Spanish, & I’m tired of delayed gratification. Every time I get some time off, I can feel myself slowly thawing, inching toward personhood. Then I go back, and even on “chill” rotations, I feel trapped. The worst part of my first year hasn’t even hit yet. I keep hearing that this wasn’t a mistake, & that eventually things will get better, but I can’t find one person who has the life I want in this field. It’s… idk. Lonely.

Anyway it’s dark outside & kind of dark inside. lovely people have assured me that fellowship was indeed the worst time of their lives/ this year is the hardest, & that my attending life will get better. I’m not planning on quitting. But this shit is hard. The point of medical training is to teach us to devalue ourselves, & for a while, I was a good student. But these days I feel like I’m at the bottom of my class; I’m having a much harder time accepting my toll.

#healthcareworkers #hcws #residency #minoritytax #cardiology #fellowship #wic #intern #inpatient #doctor #womeninmedicine #blackdoctors #graphicmedicine #internalmedicine #medicine #medicalschool #medlife #md #medstudent #nurse #physician

Dec 8, 2021 2021-12-08T00:00:00-06:00

2021-12-04

Today’s post is called “Things I’m Very Proud of but Still Forgot to Post, Because I am Quite Literally Playing this by Ear.” 😅 Woops!

Presenting Clinical Pharmacy Girl! Clinical Pharm girl is like the Magical Girl Potion Master- all of the Girls have to hit her up at some point for her concoctions. She’s also ridiculously brainy, able to tell you about the pharmacokinetics and med interactions at the drop of a hat! Thank you Torry for not 1, not 2 , but THREE magical girl commissions! Also thank you to all my #pharmacist friends who have saved my butt & taught me things multiple times over the course of my training!

Medical Magical Girls (& Boys & Folks) are available on a COMMISSION basis only. They cost a $500 flat fee. Commissions are closed, but you can feel free to email me at the link my profile to see if I’ll be intrigued enough by your specialty (lol) to consider sneaking one in. As per usual, please don’t ask me to do your specialty unless you precede you’re willing to pay up 💵🤲

#pharmacists #pharmacytech #medicalmagicalgirl #medicalmagicalgirls #magicalgirl #anime #manga #pharmD #resident #residency #womeninmedicine #blackdoctors #graphicmedicine #premed #premedmotivation #internalmedicine #medschool #medicine #medicalschool #healthcareworkers #md #medstudent #hcw #physician

Dec 4, 2021 2021-12-04T00:00:00-06:00

2021-12-02

Hi everyone! It’s time for #debutauthorchat - check out the tag to meet other authors whose first books come out next year!

Today is DAY ONE: Introduce Yourself!

My name is Shirlene Obuobi, and I’m a Cardiology Fellow at University of Chicago, cartoonist, and debut author(!!) My adult fictional novel, ON ROTATION, comes out 6/21/2022 via @avonbooks @wmbooks @harpercollins. It’s a (second?) coming-of-age about a Ghanaian American medical student!

Things about me: I have 1 amazing husband, 2 younger siblings and 3 cats. I’m very loud in person, but am secretly an introvert. I love candles that smell like cookies & plush blankets, travel, & friends that feel like family. I’ve been writing & drawing since I was a kid. #graphicmedicine & #narrativemedicine are my passions. I take pride in not taking myself too seriously while simultaneously being notoriously Type A.

Pic 1: (one of) my author photos by @pavspixelz Pic 2: 1/3 cats (bc I am a wicked step cat mom & my baby is my clear favorite) Pic 3: my actual debut novel, age 10 Pic 4: what I looked like 50% of the time while writing ON ROTATION

Comps for On Rotation: Sweetbitter, Talia Hibbert’s Brown Sisters series, Grey’s Anatomy.

Don’t forget to check the rest of my feed for a giveaway! And go to the @22debuts page to check out other debuts!

#authorsofinstagram #22debuts #blackauthors #writingcommunity #writers #traditionalpublishing #publishing #writersofig #writersofinstagram #bookstagram

Dec 2, 2021 2021-12-02T00:00:00-06:00

2021-11-29

IT’S A BIRD! IT’S A PLANE! IT’S A COVER REVEAL! ON ROTATION is out 6/21/22 and can be preordered at major resellers, w/ indie #booksellers to follow.

From the second I sold ON ROTATION, people were asking if I planned to illustrate its cover. I answered with a pretty resounding no, because 1) I had no idea what I wanted my cover to look like and 2) I was terrified of creating something that I would later dislike. Thankfully, that’s what you have a design team for- and they came up with this amazing concept (using these amazing bright colors that go with the novel’s vibes!) that I went on to illustrate. So…uh…I guess I drew my cover after all. And I’m pretty dang proud of it!

ON ROTATION explores all sorts of relationships– doctor-patient, familial, platonic and romantic. The friendship storyline is one of my faves, & couldn’t have been written if I didn’t have such incredible friends to base them off of. So incredible, in fact, that they put this video together for me, with only my fumbling suggestions. A huge thank you to my bestie Linda Liu for putting her video editing expertise to make me this amazing cover reveal video. I love you boo!

Please check out the link in my bio for preorder info/ to add on goodreads !

Music: bensound . com

Nov 29, 2021 2021-11-29T00:00:00-06:00

2021-11-26

(In which, instead of a comic, I post a carousel of pics of me living my best life on a 55 degree Texan day, dressed in @fabletics #moveinfabletics #myfabletics) with my mother acting as my spirited photographer & encouraging me to switch up my poses for maximal #blackgirljoy! I felt cute; I won’t be deleting later.)

Hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving! It’s my first time back home for Thanksgiving in about 5 years (thanks medicine), and hanging with my family has been so nourishing. I know ShirlyWhirl has been doom, gloom, & Big Discussions lately, but honestly? I have so much to be thankful for. I complain a lot bc I’m overwhelmed, but I also realized all of Young Shirl’s wildest dreams this year! I started Cardiology fellowship, married my best friend sold my debut novel, and shared some of my most vulnerable comics & art to a growing audience.

I want to say thank you to @helmliterary, my industrious literary agent, for being ON ROTATION’s biggest advocate & landing me my dream team at @harpercollins ! Also for introducing me to @rissmneilson, who has rapidly become one of my best friends / soul sister.

Thankful to my lady 🫀 mentors, who have guided me via voice notes, frantic weekend phone calls, DMs, texts, office visits, the works: @drmarthagulati , @heart.beat.doctor , @healthyhearts.md , @daniellebelardo & @amitasingh . Also thankful for @bajsmith6, who has picked up the phone for me on PATERNITY LEAVE y’all, and my program director, who I feel genuinely safe communicating with! Also thankful for @just_ijeoma, who is doing this Black Girl in Cardiology thang with me from miles away and just GETS it.

Thankful for my kinship w/ too many new Internet friends to count- @coupdegracefarris @dottorerusso (who got me the Akira freaking boxset, I WILL send you something once I catch my breath), @mexicanity (CONGRATS AGAIN ON YOUR ENGAGEMENT!), @jakademik_md , @realworldnp, @rantocran, @thenocturnalnurse, @shesinscrubs & so many more (I just don’t know all of your handles 🙈!)

Tag a friend you’re thankful for and why and maybe 😍 I’ll highlight your love on my story!

Nov 26, 2021 2021-11-26T00:00:00-06:00

2021-11-23

Part 2/2

Whenever I talk about this, I’m flooded with responses informing me that I’m not alone in this lonely experience. Being harassed by patients seems to be par for the course in medicine, and it’s even worse for HCWs who are at bedside, like nurses and CNAs. The common thread in these stories is that nothing is ever done about it. Best case scenario the patient will be reassigned to another provider, but there are no consequences, no push from above to protect our workers. Even the response from my attendings when I confide in them is often so lukewarm- a chuckle at worst, a “stern talking to” at best, never a patient fired, or threatened to be transferred, nada.

I know y’all have stories. If you feel comfortable, please share them.

#sexualharrassment #sexualassault #harassment #title9 #healthcareworkers #hcws #residency #minoritytax #cardiology #fellowship #wic #intern #inpatient #doctor #womeninmedicine #blackdoctors #graphicmedicine #internalmedicine #medicine #medicalschool #medlife #md #medstudent #nurse #physician #webcomic #comic

Nov 23, 2021 2021-11-23T00:00:00-06:00

2021-11-22

These are all based off interactions I’ve had in the hospital in the last month or so. As per usual, all the hypothetical patients’ features are changed, so if you think you recognize someone, no you don’t. Jumping ahead to say that for #1 - I love talking to patients about their lives outside their health, but that I’m referring to situations where I am not allowed to do my job bc a patient sees a young woman & therefore a captive audience who must break social norms to proceed with said job.

Being a lady physician is strange. Though the younger generations of medical trainees are more representative of the population, according to the AAMC, only about 36% of practicing physicians identify as women. This breaks down even further when we look at individual fields - only 12.5% of practicing Cardiologists ID as women. In a lot of ways, medicine still feels like a man’s world that women just have to…fit into. (hence, all of the “feel good” messaging showing pregnant doctors doing surgery at 38 weeks… as if working 80+ hours a week is something we would suggest to our patients.)

If you’re a lady and a physician - what micro/macro aggressions do you find yourself dealing with?

#residency #minoritytax #cardiology #fellowship #wic #intern #inpatient #doctor #womeninmedicine #hcw #medstagram #blackdoctors #graphicmedicine #premed #internalmedicine #medschool #medicine #medicalschool #medlife #md #medstudent #nurse #physician #webcomic #comic

Nov 22, 2021 2021-11-22T00:00:00-06:00

2021-11-16

Am I doing this #Medfluencer thing right? Sometimes, I don’t know. I care about engagement, but not enough to do the things (be pretty! Be put together!) that drive it. Oversharing is just in my nature, which means y’all get the good, the bad and the ugly from me. But especially now, as I get further in my training and my professional spheres narrow, I feel a need to be more intentional. And I find myself doing the thing that social media makes many of us wont to do, that I told myself I would avoid - comparing myself. Like man, I only look good for an average of one day a month- how are these other lady doctors managing three times a week? How are they balancing leisure, content creation, and being present for their families when I always feel like I’m struggling? Everyone else seems so sure that medicine is worth the sacrifices; is it discouraging of me to question whether that’s true?

Most times, when I find myself asking these questions, I end up settling on this : the original purpose of SW was catharsis for me with catharsis by osmosis for everyone else. I’m too freaking tired to try to change that. I also think about how I have a uniquely supportive following who are here because of the mess. And I’m grateful for that. I’m grateful for y’all. Engaging with people on this platform has taught me so much, and provided me with much needed dopamine on many occasions (like yesterday!)

Disclaimer: this isn’t some “not like other girls” bs. This isn’t a pity party. I like my body, though I’m stressed that I’m not taking care of it as well as I’d like right now. And I think the accounts similar to panel one are great too!

Tag a #healthcareworker #hcw account you enjoy that keeps it really real !

#socialmedia #residency #minoritytax #cardiology #fellowship #wic #intern #inpatient #doctor #womeninmedicine #blackdoctors #graphicmedicine #premed #internalmedicine #medschool #medicine #medicalschool #medlife #md #medstudent #nurse #physician #webcomic #cómic

Nov 16, 2021 2021-11-16T00:00:00-06:00

2021-11-11

It’s a Bird! It’s a Plane! It’s Respiratory Therapy Girl! RT girl is needed wherever humans need to breathe (so… everywhere), and covers wide ground on her handy dandy O2 tank jet pack! She’s like the Batman of the Magical girls, in that her toolbox is endless!

The inspo for RT girl is the one and only Stephanie Staugaard! Thank you Torry for commissioning me for this one (Torry loves you, Stephanie!) She was super fun; I’ve been wanting to do RT girl since the days of the Magical Girl contests! Thanks @eatwithannie_ - I used some of the details in your pitch from way back to when to make RT Girl happen.

Medical Magical Girls are available on commissions only. Unfortunately, commissions are closed at this time. Please keep an eye out on my stories for reopenings. I’m especially looking forward to one day doing a Magical Boy 👀.

#magicalgirl #anime #manga #medicalmagicalgirl #ventmanagement #rt #respiratorytherapy #respiratorytherapist #criticalcare #resident #residency #intern #doctor #womeninmedicine #blackdoctors #graphicmedicine #premed #premedmotivation #internalmedicine #medschool #medicine #medicalschool #medlife #md #medstudent #nurse #physician

Nov 11, 2021 2021-11-11T00:00:00-06:00

2021-11-06

Introducing Pulmonary Critical Care girl! Armed with her bronchoscope - to search out everything from tumors to infection and her Big Gun (used for Big Gun antibiotics and/or pressors).

Thank you so much to Torry for commissioning a set of three magical girls! First up is Pulm Crit Girl, modeled after Amanda Van Mecl. Torry loves you so much!

Medical Magical Girls are available on commissions only. Unfortunately, commissions are closed at this time. Please keep an eye out on my stories for reopenings.

#magicalgirl #anime #manga #medicalmagicalgirl #pulmonary #pulmcritcare #pulmonarycriticalcare #icu #pulmonologist #pulmonology #criticalcare #resident #residency #intern #doctor #womeninmedicine #blackdoctors #graphicmedicine #premed #premedmotivation #residency #internalmedicine #medschool #medicine #medicalschool #medlife #md #medstudent #nurse #physician

Nov 6, 2021 2021-11-06T00:00:00-05:00