Artist Description:

This concept came to me as I heard the first stories of healthcare workers fighting COVID-19. They were exhausted and resource deficient. I had just begun my clinical years of medical school when I drew this. It is a representation of the frustration that I felt for my colleagues. I believe that the eyes speak volumes, even more so with the heavy guild of PPE that we must wear to protect ourselves and our patients. This piece is also reflective of the new view in which ophthalmology patients see their providers. An ophthalmologist’s main focus during a visit is on the eyes, now, so is the patient’s. Pencil was selected for this work as it can be easily blended and used to portray emotion without a touch of color. Furthermore, I chose to use open lines to represent the lingering battle our healthcare system still faces against this pandemic.

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Bio: Kiah McSwain is currently a third year medical student at the Florida State University College of Medicine. She is a writer and artist who is passionate about narrative medicine and ophthalmology. She plans on applying to ophthalmology residency programs in the near future. Her other works are to be featured in the 2021 Spring Edition of HEAL magazine.