18/08/2026
Filling your Tuesday with some Pawsitivity! 🐾🩺 | By: Udisa Chowdhury, a current Trinity med student
Two of my favorite booths at had something in common: they reminded me that caring for others also means creating space to care for ourselves 💙
🧸 Build a stuffed animal for a child at Children’s Mercy Hospital.
Attendees could create and decorate stuffed animals, then write handwritten cards and notes of comfort and encouragement for children receiving them. I named my little lion, Simba. 🦁💚 I couldn’t help but wonder how many plushies were donated to Children’s Mercy!
🐶 Paws 4 a Break with Kansas City Bulldog Rescue.
While exploring residency programs and making new connections, I also made two very important new friends: Delilah, a bulldog, and Sebastian, a pug. 🐾❤️ And yes, Delilah and I even made it onto ’s social media! 😂
As a future physician, work-life balance is especially important to me. Medicine is a career of service, but I believe we have to pour into our own cups before we can pour into others.
I have had my heart set on family medicine, and attending gave me the reassurance that I am heading in the right direction. One thing I especially admired about the American Academy of Family Physicians was the intentionality behind creating spaces where attendees could pause, breathe, and rejuvenate — whether that meant leaving a little kindness by building a bear for a pediatric patient or cuddling with a furry friend. Taking these breaks to recharge between conversations and networking was helpful for me to put my best self out there.
Leading with care starts with caring for ourselves. 🩺🐾💚
