The LSUHSC School of Medicine electronic news

Editor’s Pen – August

One of Ours Acting with Compassion

Andrew D. Hollenbach, Ph.D.
Head Editor, The Pulse

In this day and age when all we hear about is nasty politics, bad budgets, and fiscal problems, it does the heart good when something happens that makes us proud as an institution. That something happened and that something was done by one of our students and brought to our attention.

The Office of Student Affairs received the following e-mail from the Chair of Hematology and Oncology at the Ochsner Cancer Institute:

“This evening one of your medical students, Sophie Fourniquet, was walking down our block and noted that one of our neighbors was in his parked car and appeared to be in distress. His car was parked on the street and has slightly tinted windows so it is amazing that she even noted him. There was no one else outside or passing this vehicle for some time.

She tapped on the window and found him to be unresponsive and called [the] EMS. She stayed the entire time until the ambulance left with him.  His condition is critical as he was found with a temp of almost 106 F and I just checked on him at Baptist Hospital where he is in ARF [acute renal failure].

In a time where many are unaware of their surroundings, Sophie clearly is attentive and quickly assessed and responded to a critical situation. She told me it was her first day of 3rd year clinical [rotations] and my husband and I can attest to the fact that you have a special young woman in your training program!

We are both area medical oncologists and know the importance of caring for those around us and sharing kudos when it is due. His family is so appreciative and would like to reach out to her as well.”

We as faculty and administration work hard to give our students the scientific and clinical facts they will need to make them excellent clinicians. We try even harder to instill in them the compassion, empathy, and humanness they need to make them exceptional doctors, healers, and caregivers. Thank you Sophie for carrying what you learned into the community, using your passion to become a top-notch caregiver, and making us proud as an institution.

We know that Sophie isn’t alone and that many of our students would do the same thing in that situation. We know that many of our students would provide help for those in need by using what they have learned and that they would act on their passion to care for others. This is the passion that drove them to our institution, that makes them a pleasure and honor for us to educate, and makes us proud to say they are a product of the LSU SOM.