"In this episode: loss and grief. Death is a contradiction. On the one hand, when we experience the loss of someone in our lives, it's an earth-shatteringly exceptional moment. But on the other, losing people is something we all know we will experience at points throughout our lives. But when it comes to dealing with these moments, our academic institutions are often woefully under-prepared."
"A few years ago, Krista experienced a series of losses that sent her reeling. Ultimately, she authored multiple pieces about this period, and the lessons she drew from it. One was titled simply Making Space for Grief in Academia and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. I called Krista up to find out about the profound challenges of this time."
Death combines exceptional personal impact with universal inevitability, making grief both singular and shared. Academic institutions frequently lack policies, culture, and resources to support members experiencing bereavement. Hospice and palliative-care experience can provide practical training for navigating end-of-life situations and caregiving responsibilities. Long-distance caregiving imposes repeated travel, logistical strain, and emotional burden on caregivers and families. A sequence of personal losses can expose institutional gaps and prompt the identification of practical lessons for creating space for grief within professional settings. Recognizing grief as an occupational issue enables development of more compassionate, structured support for researchers and staff.
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