H. Lee Kagan reflects on one memorable night working in a Haitian Emergency Room in “E.R.: Port-au-Prince“. What is Kagan expecting of his experience? When I’ve worked overseas, often in a wholly different medical system and in a resource limited environment, I’ve had similar anxieties, drenched in insecurity. Usually I come to realize I was worrying about all the wrong things. Kagan finds himself unsure how to respond when a patient who was raped arrives in the E.R. He questions himself after this encounter. Do you think he should have done something differently? What did Kagan learn about himself?

Writing Prompt: Have you experienced working or living across cultures or in a different system than the one you’re used to? What was different? Did you learn something about yourself or about medicine? Consider re-writing this piece from the point of view of the patient, the nurse who steps in or the volunteer nurse who can’t sleep. Does this give you new insight?