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Shirlywhirl, M.D.
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2020-10-10

So, I’m what you call “thicker than a bowl of oatmeal.” A “brickhouse.” I’m a size 8 (M) on the top and a 12 (L) on the bottom, and I put on weight mostly in my proximal limbs. Which means that finding clothes that fit has always been a nightmare.

Scrubs are supposed to be comfortable but somewhat professional looking, but it’s been really hard for me to find a set that feels functional without making me feel frumpy or “indecent” (more on this in my story). I really tried to like a certain, very popular brand of designer scrubs, but had the same issues with fit and style that I normally do– the body types those scrubs were made for were more streamlined and slim and they could not handle all these humps :P Enter @dopescrubs . Black-owned, so I was already like 👀. But also cute. And somehow, they FIT ME AT THE WAIST? Without a belt??? Without a thrice-tied drawstring and a prayer??? The fabric is different from a lot of the other designer scrubs- more breathable, for those 28 hour calls (so less of that rank day-long sweat stank.) And, best of all- they’re actually cute. I could wear these pants to clinic with a regular shirt, and I don’t think anyone would notice.

I decided a while ago that I wouldn’t promote any products on this platform unless I genuinely believed in them- and I love Dope Scrubs. Y’all are going to see me rocking this brand more.

(I’m wearing the large “Straight Leg Scrub Pants” and the medium “Utility Scrub Top” in Dark Gray.”)

Want your own set? Use my Code: shirlywhirlmd20 for 20% off! @dopescrubs

#Dopescrubs #scrubs #hospital #residency #fellowship #resident #residency #intern #inpatient #doctor #womeninmedicine #blackdoctors #graphicmedicine #premed #premedmotivation #residency #internalmedicine #medschool #medicine #medicalschool #medlife #md #medstudent #nurse #physician

Oct 10, 2020 2020-10-10T00:00:00-05:00

2020-10-03

I’ve had my cat for 3 and a half years. For 3 of these years, he was decidedly not a lap cat. He had an aggressive change of heart about six months ago, just 🙂in time 🙂 for zoom interviews. RIP my pantsuit

I still love him tho + scoop up his poops.

#cats #catsofinstagram #zoom #interviews #residency #fellowship #resident #residency #intern #inpatient #doctor #womeninmedicine #blackdoctors #graphicmedicine #premed #premedmotivation #residency #internalmedicine #medschool #medicine #medicalschool #medlife #md #medstudent #nurse #physician

Oct 3, 2020 2020-10-03T00:00:00-05:00

2020-09-28

We The Women, A Video Campaign: September is AMA’s Women In Medicine (WIM) Month. As this month nears a close, we women have chosen to stand in our truth. No longer accepting the things we believe cannot be changed, but rather changing the things we can no longer accept.   With misogyny in medicine becoming one of the most discussed topics of this year, primarily due to countless articles that have surfaced inappropriately questioning gender roles, we know this type of inequality is an unacceptable truth.   _____   #WeTheWomen Campaign serves to underscore that women should not, and will not, tolerate gender inequality in our field.  We align ourselves with AMA’s mission to showcase the accomplishments of women clinicians, as well as display our unity through diversity.

We recognize that misogyny and sexism in medicine has been a longstanding and complex issue that will require a multifaceted approach. We remain steadfast in ensuring that we do our part in resolving this problem, even well after this month ends. Every month is a month to recognize women in medicine. Every month is month to advance equity and foster real change.   __   In Order of Video Appearance: @edna.md @saragottfriedmd @shirlywhirlmd @vein.doctor @drmilhouse @theposhmd @shanny_do @tiffanymoonmd @fitpa_balance ___   Special thanks to @edna.md for curating this video. We do not own the rights to this song.

Sep 28, 2020 2020-09-28T00:00:00-05:00

2020-09-26

(1/2) 2020 has been rough. I feel like we’ve been all collectively traumatized qWeekly. But Breonna Taylor hit different for me. Not only was she unjustly murdered while sleeping in her own home, she has been endlessly commodified, her name reduced to a hashtag for woke points and memes, her image plastered on fashion magazines that would have shuddered to photograph her dark skinned, plus sized body when she was alive. Right wing media has distributed a lie that she was involved in drug trafficking, and my Texan newsfeed has jumped on the opportunity to explain to me why she deserved to die.

Malcolm X said, “The most disrespected person in America is the black woman. The most unprotected person in America is the black woman.” (I would amend that to say especially black trans woman tbh.)

I said in my story that I used to feel ugly. I realize now that so many of my insecurities were around the features I had that were stereotypically black, which is why I highlighted them in this comic. But I don’t feel that way anymore. Being black, dark skinned, full figured- it’s a GIFT. Because I’ve had experiences I would never have had if I wasn’t in this body. I truly feel like my relationships are deeper for it! I truly feel that my life is richer for it. If I had to do it again, I would pick this every time.

#blacklivesmatter #sayhername #blackgirlmagic #blackwomen #comic #resident #intern #inpatient #doctor #womeninmedicine #blackdoctors #graphicmedicine

Sep 26, 2020 2020-09-26T00:00:00-05:00

2020-09-26

(2/2) 2020 has been rough. I feel like we’ve been all collectively traumatized qWeekly. But Breonna Taylor hit different for me. Not only was she unjustly murdered while sleeping in her own home, she has been endlessly commodified, her name reduced to a hashtag for woke points and memes, her image plastered on fashion magazines that would have shuddered to photograph her dark skinned, plus sized body when she was alive. Right wing media has distributed a lie that she was involved in drug trafficking, and my Texan newsfeed has jumped on the opportunity to explain to me why she deserved to die.

Malcolm X said, “The most disrespected person in America is the black woman. The most unprotected person in America is the black woman.” (I would amend that to say especially black trans woman tbh.)

I said in my story that I used to feel ugly. I realize now that so many of my insecurities were around the features I had that were stereotypically black, which is why I highlighted them in this comic. But I don’t feel that way anymore. Being black, dark skinned, full figured- it’s a GIFT. Because I’ve had experiences I would never have had if I wasn’t in this body. I truly feel like my relationships are deeper for it! I truly feel that my life is richer for it. If I had to do it again, I would pick this every time.

#blacklivesmatter #sayhername #blackgirlmagic #blackwomen #comic #resident #intern #inpatient #doctor #womeninmedicine #blackdoctors #graphicmedicine

Sep 26, 2020 2020-09-26T00:00:00-05:00

2020-09-19

Hi I made great friends in Med school and found awesome mentors but if I had to choose between doing medical school over again and like, sitting in a vat of roaches for a year I would think long and hard about the roaches 🤔

#comic #resident #intern #inpatient #doctor #womeninmedicine #blackdoctors #graphicmedicine #premed #premedmotivation #residency #internalmedicine #medschool #medicine #medicalschool #medlife #md #medstudent #nurse #physician

Sep 19, 2020 2020-09-19T00:00:00-05:00

2020-09-14

The 5 reasons why I want to be a #cardiologist.

#cardiology #internalmedicine #medicine #residency #fellowship #doctor #physician #healthcaredisparities

Sep 14, 2020 2020-09-14T00:00:00-05:00

2020-09-12

This is how I feel about most of my former interns, medical students, etc, PhDs and past careers be damned. Y’all are my children and I’m so proud of you.

#healthcare #insurance #comic #resident #intern #inpatient #doctor #womeninmedicine #blackdoctors #graphicmedicine #premed #premedmotivation #residency #internalmedicine #medschool #medicine #medicalschool #medlife #md #medstudent #nurse #physician

Sep 12, 2020 2020-09-12T00:00:00-05:00

2020-09-05

I’ve long heard the adage that advocacy in medicine is unprofessional. Doctors are supposed to be neutral in the face of injustice, more clinical machines than people. Now that I’ve been a doc for a few years, I can see how much of that is hogwash. I have also become keen to the specialties that seem to speak the loudest against advocacy and their demographics (hint: it’s the highest paid, most male-dominated ones, and the ones that are least accessible to marginalized populations.)

1st- medicine in America has never been apolitical. Per OpenSecrets, AMA spent $20 million lobbying the US government in 2018. Certain medical procedures, like abortions, are heavily regulated. Medicare/ Medicaid expansion directly impacts who can receive care and where. Every fluctuation in health policy affects what hoops we have to jump through to provide care. (See more in comments)

#advocacy #healthcareadvocacy #healthpolicy #healthcare #comic #resident #intern #inpatient #doctor #womeninmedicine #blackdoctors #graphicmedicine #premed #premedmotivation #residency #internalmedicine #medschool #medicine #medicalschool #medlife #md #medstudent #nurse #physician

Sep 5, 2020 2020-09-05T00:00:00-05:00

2020-08-30

I remember my first code. I was a third year medical student on surgery, doing one of our two required 28-hour shifts. We ran to a code on the ninth floor, and got in line for compressions. During them, I remember looking down at the patient’s face and feeling a sense of deep-seated horror. (“I can see thestrals now,” I remember thinking.) When we finally called the code, the mood in the room was eerily light– discussions about what movies they would be watching, the snacks in the break room, jokes about being out of shape. I felt like I was the only one affected by the fact that someone had just died before our eyes.

Now, in my third year of residency, I’ve seen countless people die. After the patient passes, I have to get back to work, and there is little time to process what happened, and, probably to the chagrin of my medical student self, almost little need. There are deaths that definitely affect me more than others, patients that I think about almost every day… but for the most part death seems to just be part of the job. I almost forgot what it felt like to witness death for the first time, but sometime last year, I saw a couple of medical students huddled together after a code, weeping. And of course they were. Most people don’t see what they saw.

I just had a conversation with my friend, Akila (@keels.raja, thanks for inspiring this comic) who is currently a medical student, about this phenomenon. As healthcare workers, we can easily fall into the trap of seeing our patients as work. I’ve seen attendings take a moment of silence for patients when they die, directly addressing the tragedy of what we’ve witnessed. I’m going to take on this practice as well, and will continue debriefing with my students/ interns/ coresidents after we lose patients. What else do you guys do to debrief after death?

#deathanddying #palliativecare #codeblue #healthcare #insurance #comic #resident #intern #inpatient #doctor #womeninmedicine #blackdoctors #graphicmedicine #premed #premedmotivation #residency #internalmedicine #medschool #medicine #medicalschool #medlife #md #medstudent #nurse #physician

Aug 30, 2020 2020-08-30T00:00:00-05:00