RUHS Resident Wins Healthcare Art Contest with Poem

Emergency Medicine resident Maria Goggins, MD, won a healthcare art contest at the Healthcare Innovation and Technology Symposium (HITS) that was held Feb. 17-19 at Pechanga Resort Casino.  

 Dr. Goggins said her poem, titled, “A Mother’s Cry” was inspired by two patients she cared for last year — an infant who died unexpectedly and a teenager who died after being struck by a car.  

Although the cases were very different, what stayed with Goggins was the same sound: their mother’s cry. The piece began as a song, as writing music has been a way Dr. Goggins said she processes experiences, but as she worked through it, she changed it to be a poem to capture the stillness and gravity of those moments. 

"The poem is not only about loss, but about the depth of love behind that grief. To hear a sound like that is to witness how deeply someone is loved,” Dr. Goggins said. "Every day in medicine, we witness life-changing moments. I believe it’s important not to become immune to them. Holding on to compassion and humanity is what makes us better healthcare providers. It is a profound privilege to care for patients and their families in their most vulnerable moments. This poem is my way of honoring that responsibility and remembering the love that remains, even in loss." 

HITS brings together healthcare professionals, innovators, researchers, and technology leaders to explore new solutions that improve patient care. HITS provides high-quality education to enhance healthcare delivery, helps professionals develop and refine clinical skills, and promotes collaboration to tackle evolving healthcare challenges.  

Read Dr. Goggins poem below: