Twilight Curriculum

Each evening, clinic dissolved into dusk. My mentor and I crossed the parking lot, charts left behind, unanswered questions between us. He never hurried the silence.

Years later, alone with a patient, I simply waited until he finally spoke. I recognized what those evening walks had taught me: listening had been there all along, quietly waiting for me to notice.

I am deeply grateful to my mentor, Dr Chirmana Haritha, whose quiet example taught me that listening is among medicine’s most valuable lessons. Her patience continues to shape the physician I aspire to become.

60-Word Stories are a special type of narrative, each exactly 60 words in length, that are being published in celebration of STFM's 60th Anniversary in 2027. These stories will appear in every issue throughout 2027. Read more about this special article type on the journal’s home page.