Medicine is more than science—it’s a human experience shaped by storytelling, reflection, and creativity. The Writing and Humanities Program at the Carver College of Medicine embraces this idea by exploring the artistic and humanistic dimensions of medical education and practice. Through a critical, transdisciplinary approach, we highlight how the humanities and arts deepen our understanding of medicine, patient care, and professional identity.
Our program offers:
- Elective courses and arts activities that allow medical students to engage with writing, literature, philosophy, history, visual arts, music, and performing arts. These experiences illuminate the role of creativity in medical education and practice.
- The Humanities Distinction Track, which encourages, supports, and recognizes students who pursue scholarship in creative writing, social sciences, public policy, and other humanities-related fields.
- One-on-one writing consultations to help students refine their work, whether it’s for scholarship applications, residency personal statements, CVs, research papers, abstracts, patient notes, presentations, correspondence, recommendations, or even creative writing projects.
By bridging medicine and the humanities, we empower future physicians to find their voice, craft compelling narratives, and cultivate a deeper connection to the art of healing. Whether you’re preparing for residency, writing for publication, or exploring your own creative expression, we’re here to help.
Camille Socarras, MA, Director
1-319-335-1682
David T. Etler, Support Staff
1-319-335-8058
The Short Coat Podcast: Exploring What Med Students are Becoming
The Writing and Humanities Program is proud to support The Short Coat Podcast, a show featuring the students of the Carver College of Medicine. For more, visit The Short Coat Podcast site.
Remember–you can send questions or feedback to theshortcoats@gmail.com! We love it!
Episodes from the Margins of Medicine
The Unexpected Power of Student Doctors (Recess Rehash)
[We weren’t available to record a new show for you this week, so enjoy this rerun instead!]
Clinical students are sometimes the only ones who have time to listenIn the clinic, med students can feel like bystanders, but they can make all the difference for patients. M3 Jeff Goddard, M3 Tracy Chen, M2 Alex Nigg, and M4 Matt Engelken recount stories of the patients that stuck with them—some painful, some beautiful, and some just plain awkward. From OB-GYN to peds to the ER, they share how student doctors—who can often feel like tagalongs—can often be the ones offering emotional support, catching critical miscommunications, or just being the one person with time to care. We reflect on the pressure to look competent, the sting of lukewarm evaluations, and how one med student realized a patient wasn’t constipated—just heartbroken.
Also in this episode: talking to dying patients, babies are scary, and what not to say when to overwhelmed family.
Episode credits:- Producer: Dave Etler
- Co-hosts: Matt Engelken, M4; Jeff Goddard, M3; Tracy Chen, M3; Alex Nigg, M2
We welcome your feedback, listener questions, and shower thoughts. Do you agree or disagree with something we said today? Did you hear something really helpful? Can we answer a question for you? Are we delivering a podcast you want to keep listening to? Let us know at https://theshortcoat.com/tellus and we’ll put your message in a future episode. Or email theshortcoats@gmail.com.
The Short Coat Podcast is FeedSpot’s Top Iowa Student Podcast, and its Top Iowa Medical Podcast! Thanks for listening!
We do more things on…
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theshortcoat
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/theshortcoat
You deserve to be happy and healthy. If you’re struggling with racism, harassment, hate, your mental health, or some other crisis, visit http://theshortcoat.com/help, and send additions to the resources there to theshortcoats@gmail.com. We love you. Music provided by Argofox. License: bit.ly/CCAttribution
DOCTOR VOX – Heatstroke: youtu.be/j1n1zlxzyRE
Catmosphere – Candy-Coloured Sky: youtu.be/AZjYZ8Kjgs8
Hexalyte – Wandering Hours: youtu.be/FOAo2zsYnvA
How to Survive The First Semester of Med School
You know medical school is hard, but what does that mean? That idea has no emotional connection to anything until you are IN IT, and these M1s definitely were.
Jonah Albrecht, Trever Maiers, Alex Johnson, and Chris Ceplecha review the M1 semester and how they survived it. You’ll hear about what habits they had to drop, and which of their experiments in learning were a waste of time. Who did they lean on? What made it possible? What did they trip over, and how did right themselves? Their stories should give hope to future students that while medical school is tough in ways that are unpredictable, by working together–whether teaching each other, admitting when they needed help, and taking advantage of the resources available to them–it’s not only possible, but “fun!”
Episode credits:- Producer: Jonah Albrecht
- Co-hosts: Trever Maiers, Alex Johnson, Chris Ceplecha
The views and opinions expressed on this podcast belong solely to the individuals who share them. They do not represent the positions of the University of Iowa, the Carver College of Medicine, or the State of Iowa. All discussions are intended for entertainment purposes only and should not be taken as professional, legal, financial, or medical advice. Nothing said on this podcast should be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent any medical condition. Always seek qualified professional guidance for personal decisions.
We Want to Hear From You: YOUR VOICE MATTERS!We welcome your feedback, listener questions, and shower thoughts. Do you agree or disagree with something we said today? Did you hear something really helpful? Can we answer a question for you? Are we delivering a podcast you want to keep listening to? Let us know at https://theshortcoat.com/tellus and we’ll put your message in a future episode. Or email theshortcoats@gmail.com.
We need to know more about you! https://surveys.blubrry.com/theshortcoat (email a screenshot of the confirmation screen to theshortcoats@gmail.com with your mailing address and Dave will mail you a thank you package!)
The Short Coat Podcast is FeedSpot’s Top Iowa Student Podcast, and its Top Iowa Medical Podcast! Thanks for listening!
We do more things on…
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theshortcoat
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/theshortcoat
You deserve to be happy and healthy. If you’re struggling with racism, harassment, hate, your mental health, or some other crisis, visit http://theshortcoat.com/help, and send additions to the resources there to theshortcoats@gmail.com. We love you.
Family expectations, culture clashes, and career priorities: Who’s the A-Hole? (Recess Rehash)
[Due to Thanksgiving break, we have no new episode this week for you, but here’s a good one from our back catalog!]
When your boyfriend’s an OB/GYN and your friends can’t chillWe’re passing judgment, because someone has to. This week’s Reddit-fueled medical panel takes on uncomfortable questions that your group chat definitely isn’t ready for: Is dating an OB-GYN inherently weird? Should your partner be your #1 even when you’re literally delivering babies at 3 AM? And what happens when your parents think taking three days off is career suicide?
We drag a few well-meaning but very misinformed relatives, unpack how culture collides with medicine, and dissect how med students actually keep their relationships alive. Plus, one brave listener dares to ask: “Can I move out of my family’s one-bedroom and still be a good daughter?”
Expect spicy, real talk, and a few questionable ideas we’re choosing not to redact.
Episode credits:- Producer: Holly Hemann
- Co-hosts: Srishti Mathur, Samantha Gardner, Kate Timboe, Alexis Baker
We welcome your feedback, listener questions, and shower thoughts. Do you agree or disagree with something we said today? Did you hear something really helpful? Can we answer a question for you? Are we delivering a podcast you want to keep listening to? Let us know at https://theshortcoat.com/tellus and we’ll put your message in a future episode. Or email theshortcoats@gmail.com.
We need to know more about you! https://surveys.blubrry.com/theshortcoat (email a screenshot of the confirmation screen to theshortcoats@gmail.com with your mailing address and Dave will mail you a thank you package!)
The Short Coat Podcast is FeedSpot’s Top Iowa Student Podcast, and its Top Iowa Medical Podcast! Thanks for listening!
We do more things on…
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theshortcoat
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/theshortcoat
You deserve to be happy and healthy. If you’re struggling with racism, harassment, hate, your mental health, or some other crisis, visit http://theshortcoat.com/help, and send additions to the resources there to theshortcoats@gmail.com. We love you.