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Poet Physician Speaks at NEOMED Celebration

What’s it like to be the Poet Laureate of Ohio while simultaneously pursuing a successful career as a diagnostic nuclear radiologist?

Only one person could answer that question, and he was at Northeast Ohio Medical University’s Watanakunakorn Auditorium on April 21 for the University’s 35th Annual William Carlos Williams Poetry Competition awards event. Guest speaker Amit Majmudar, M.D. (’03) read works from his upcoming collection, “Resistance Rebellion Life: 50 Poems Now,” an anthology of politically engaged poetry.

The NEOMED competition is named for the late American physician William Carlos Williams, who became widely known as a poet. Each year, the contest draws medicine students from across the country who are interested in connecting the humanities with medicine. This year’s winners included students from Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons, New York; Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Jersey; New York University School of Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University; and Drexel University College of Medicine in Pennsylvania.

In addition to reading aloud to the students, faculty and staff who had gathered, Dr. Majmudar also spoke at length to answer students’ questions about how he has found his own voice at the intersection of the arts and medicine. The NEOMED alumnus’ approach was simultaneously humorous and thought-provoking. On several occasions, Dr. Majmudar’s remarks were met by laughter, quickly followed by silence as the audience as they considered the deeper meaning of each topic he raised.

Winners of the annual poetry contest.

Left to right: First-place winner Namrata Gumaste, second-place winner Candice Mazon, third-place winner Cayce Smith.

Winners Announced

The three prize winners of this year’s national competition were announced at the event, along with honorable mention winners:

  1. Mamarate Gumaste, Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Jersey
  2. Candice Mazon, Drexel University College of Medicine, Pennsylvania
  3. Cayce Smith, University of Texas Southwestern Medical School

 

Honorable Mention

  • Irvan Bubic, Oregon Health & Sciences University
  • Philip Castrovinci, University of South Florida
  • Inez Garzaniti, Oakland (Michigan) University William Beaumont School of Medicine
  • Salem Harry, University of Connecticut School of Medicine
  • Katrina Brody Kostro, Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons, New York
  • Alice Lee, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Rhode Island.
  • Courtney Toombs, New York University School of Medicine