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Teaching the art of noticing – a poem

17 July 2026
by

Rebecca Quinn is a GP in Battersea, London. She enjoys writing poetry and is on Instagram as @beccajanequinn

The art of Noticing.

I noticed that you started the conversation

before she sat down

whilst her bag strap trailed on the floor.

I noticed that she looked at your shoes

whilst you were talking, and hesitated

whispering her chest was sore.

I noticed that the consultation took eleven minutes

and eighteen seconds. I noticed

that as she left, you stopped

and then you saw

the white band of skin on her finger

ringless on her hand that lingered

by the barely opened door.

********

This poem invites the reader to reflect on how we give feedback and the nuance that is involved in GP training. It pokes gentle fun at the careful phrasing used to give information aimed at to improve, not evaluate performance. At the same time, the poem acknowledges and celebrates that genuine thrill of passing on the skill of noticing.1

Reference

Clement T, Bolton J, Griffiths L, Cracknell C, Molloy E. ‘Noticing’ in health professions education: Time to pay attention? Med Educ. 2023 Apr;57(4):305-314. DOI: 10.1111/medu.14978

Featured photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash.

BJGP Life
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The BJGP is the world-leading primary care journal. At BJGP Life we add multi-media comment and opinion for the primary care community.

  1. Teaching the art of noticing – a poem
  2. Keeping the Question Open: Reflections on the philosophy of general practice in BJGP Life
  3. Could it be that General Practice isn’t running out of appointments, but running out of resolved work?
  4. Social Media, skincare, and the pressure on young girls
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