Written by Nandhini Parthasarathy, Dartmouth Class of 2026, Eichler Fellow 23-24
He walks in,
complains of chest pain.
A doctor rushes over,
he’s taken for a scan.
Diagnosis: “Heart attack.”
The treatment plan:
“Take him up to surgery.”
He leaves the hospital a week later.
She walks in,
complains of nausea.
A doctor interjects,
“It could be your menstrual cycle.”
“But I’m also short of breath—”
“That’s probably cramps.”
Diagnosis: “Gastrointestinal or anxiety.”
The treatment plan:
“Tums.”
She passes away a week later, an undiagnosed heart attack.
Throughout the year, the Eichler Fellows learned to write poetry. For their capstone project, the fellows wrote a poem that encapsulated their fellowship experience, a moment that has special meaning, or a concept that was learned.
My name is Nandhini Parthasarathy, and I am a member of the Dartmouth class of 2026 from Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. Currently, I am planning on majoring in cognitive science and minoring in Spanish. I plan to be a physician as I am currently on the pre-health track; however, my exact future still remains hazy. A concrete goal of mine, though, is to be an active member in reshaping women's health and medicine. As the United States has one of the highest maternal mortality rates, I argue that more research and time must be put towards tailoring medicine to fit women and their needs. Outside of the classroom, I am involved with acapella and research on campus. I am excited to be a part of the 2023-2024 cohort for this fellowship and learn how we can reshape the healthcare experience to not only help the patient better but support those working in the industry themselves.