Student sitting in front of laptop

Best of the Storytelling Contest

One Ticket, Please, to Candidacy Land

[Second place winner in the Synapse Storytelling Contest Fiction category.] It’s been seven something months since you finished your first year of graduate school. Second year! How blissful…right? You moved into a better apartment, got to join a wonderful lab and develop a project.

December 16, 2025

Science Giggle Writer

Abscission

October 25, 2020

This submission won second place in the Synapse Storytelling Contest creative writing category. Child, I lay him supine upon the...

Broken Hearts

October 10, 2020

It was my first day off after a string of emergency department shifts as sub-intern, and I was sad. I...

Woman sitting on beach

They Tell Me 'Go Home'

October 5, 2020

This submission earned Nina Escueta the first place winner of the Storytelling Contest's creative writing category. Mangoes, ripe and green...

The Power of Overlearning

September 21, 2020

Victoria Turner

When you want to learn something new, the first order of business is practice. After putting in some effort, you...

my_best_friend

My Best Friend

May 11, 2020

This submission by Lena Alazzeh entry won second prize in the 2019 Synapse Storytelling Contest photography category. They always tell...

appointment_at_tank_hill

Appointment at Tank Hill

March 6, 2020

Victoria Turner

Tank Hill is a short, steep walk from Parnassus campus. While studying for the qualifying exam in my PhD program...

Old man on bench

Paused

February 8, 2020

Seated in plain sight he is invisible The passersby halt for a moment to note That something might be there...

Patient Report (an excerpt)

February 3, 2020

******* is a 50-year-old *******-speaking WOMAN, Present in the EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT. Immigrant from El Salvador.

Closing The Cut

January 30, 2020

With one hand pressed over the gash above my left eye in an effort to provide some hemostasis, I hurriedly...