Right Brain: The Border of Autonomy

This narrative describes the personal reflection of a clinical-year medical student on the experience of learning to navigate both his own and his patient's new roles and the tension that comes with change: the tension that lies in the liminal space between autonomy and dependence, and the evolving responsibilities placed by the pressure of illness. The student reflects on the unique role of a medical student in facilitating transition and translation for a patient who has been thrust into a new, unfamiliar setting. In doing so, he reflects on the challenge of his own unfamiliar setting, now balancing autonomy with realistic goal setting and support in the face of unknowns.