“Check it out,” my boyfriend said, angling his rash-covered arms in front of the camera. Despite his best precautions, after a day of yard work, he was covered in poison ivy. Over video chat, he showed off the pustules that had erupted on his feet; I cringed.
“It’s fine,” he said, wincing while putting his socks back on. “I’m glad to know how awful it feels. I’ve seen a bunch of kids with rashes this week.”
As a third-year medical student on the other side of the country, my boyfriend was on his pediatrics rotation. But his attitude about the rash was consistent with a sentiment he’s expressed every rotation thus far: wanting to understand exactly how his patients feel. This is where he and I diverge.
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