Watch Me

The requirements to become a physician become exponentially more challenging when your first obstacle is breaking the patterns and practices of those that surround you. In my neighborhood, this meant you stand out and set aside the standards that keep you comfortable and accepted. My roots took the shape of family and educators. These roots along with my own determination facilitated my growth as the opportunities to flourish were not lined up clearly.

Invisible In Your World

It takes courage to step outside of yourself and experience new people, places, and experiences, yet what are we supposed to do in the moments where we need to retreat in search of comfort and reassurance. We can find ourselves lost and disconnected from the aforementioned experiences- longing for belonging, and craving our homes, our people, our interests. This image represents the disunion endured when you no longer feel incorporated into a space.

Rewind

Medical school is a time to constantly look in the mirror. Constantly revisit what true selfcompassion entails. Each day, week, month is filled with unexpected twists and turns, struggles and wins, and requires moments of reflection and grace.

Sharing With A Stranger

Our cadaver shared their body with us unbeknownst to whom would be taking a scalpel to their flesh. Our team shared grief, sadness, shock, pride, joy, fascination, and oftentimes laughter. We shared a couple of my most impactful memories, with a stranger. This painting represents the journey I took throughout the 8 weeks. I changed and tied up my coat, frequently unprepared for the way that I would be emotionally impacted by that day’s lab, unaware of the tears to come and shocked by the joy that cadaver would provide me! Yet I slapped on those blue gloves and approached our cadaver with great care and gentle hands. Our cadaver deserved that care because as a future physician, as a person, everyone we encounter is worthy of such. Thank you to the strangers that donated their bodies for our education.

Jonathan Joasil is currently a third-year medical student at the Icahn School of Medicine. He was drawn to the field for its continual exchange of human experience and science. Jonathan has utilized a variety of mediums: acrylic, clay, and wood. He was consistently challenged to maintain his connection with visual languages throughout his academic journey and now finds himself engaged in photography as a means to visually narrate. Jonathan’s most recent work centers the exploration of the human condition through observational and responsive photography. Observation of the mundane and complex. He offers a window into how we organize our thoughts, our desires and each other. A response to our actions and accidents. An analysis on how nature reflects things that are inextricably human. Jonathan finds healing in natural environments yet understands the scarcity of such a commodity in the neighborhoods he calls home. He seeks to find moments of tranquility and reflection in the city that never sleeps.