An oncologist’s perspective of COVID-19: “I wish I could hug you”

Over the last three weeks, we have seen how medicine is changing in the USA. Last week my clinic went from face-to-face visits to >90% telemedicine encounters. We are facing a pandemic, the burden is growing and at times it feels unbearable. My love for medical oncology started early during my medical training. Coming from a family of surgeons, it was expected for me to become a surgeon. Still, during my clinical rotations, one patient changed my medical career course and ultimately, my life. Maria (pseudonym) was a 68-year-old woman with metastatic lung cancer who, even conscious of her diagnosis,...