2013 humanism in medicine essay contest: First place: Antiretrovirals and small things

摘要

It was a sweltering day in July, somewhere between the dry and the rainy season. My first full week in Bamako, Mali, was off to a challenging start-recovering from malaria, adapting to the intense climate, and keeping up with the very busy Dr. Diallo. A Malian internist and one of the country's leading HIV specialists, Dr. Diallo served not only as my research mentor but also as an inspiration to become an exceptional physician. Having somewhat recuperated from the events of my first week, I was eager to dive into my research. I arranged to meet Dr. Diallo at the front gate of the hospital that Monday morning. He arrived looking tired and disheveled, but in good spirits. "How are the mosquitoes treating you?" he exclaimed as he patted me on the back. "Ca va aller," I said generically.