No abstract

Victorian poet Christina Rossetti (1830–1894) was frequently troubled by poor health, and her mid-life episode of life-threatening illness (1870–1872) when she suffered from Graves’ disease provides an illuminating case study of the ways that illness can be reflected in poetry and prose. Rossetti, her family, and her doctors understood Graves’ disease as a heart condition; however, Rossetti’s writing reflects a different paradigm, presenting themes of self-attack and a divided self that uncannily parallel the modern understanding of Graves’ disease as autoimmune in nature. Interestingly, these creative representations reflect an understanding of this disease process that Rossetti family documents and the history of Victorian medicine demonstrate Rossetti could not have been aware of. When the crisis had passed, Rossetti’s writing began to include new rhetoric and imagery of self-acceptance and of suffering as a means of spiritual improvement. This essay explores the parallels between literary and somatic metaphors: Rossetti’s body and art are often simultaneously “saying” the same thing, the physical symptoms expressing somatically the same dynamic that is expressed in metaphor and narrative in Rossetti’s creative writing. Such a well-documented case history raises questions about how writing may be shaped by paradigms of illness that are not accessible to the conscious mind.

Objective: To evaluate the SAGE program five years following implementation. Methods: Our program evaluation was based on Guskey's five-level framework for evaluation of professional development. Residents and supervisors were invited to participate. Participants' reactions, learning, perceived organization support, use of new knowledge or skills and learning outcomes were examined through questionnaires and interviews. Results: 54% of residents and 65% supervisors were mostly or very satisfied with SAGE. 75% of residents felt there was moderate or great institutional support of resident research. Most residents and supervisors reported satisfaction with institutional research resources. Residents participating in the SAGE program reported a greater number of grant submissions and awards, but fewer conference presentations. Conclusions: SAGE has been well received by residents and supervisors. Findings suggest the program has fostered the development of research abilities and improved institutional support. It remains unclear if demonstrable learning outcomes have increased since program implementation. We also identified several barriers which will serve as targets for program improvement in future.