Doctors' waiting rooms show what vital civic spaces should offer

Arjun Sharma, a physician at Toronto's University Health Network, writes that his time in a doctor's waiting room highlighted how such spaces bring diverse people together and reveal shared vulnerability.

Arjun Sharma, a physician at the University Health Network in Toronto, describes an unexpected visit to a doctor's waiting room and what he noticed there. He recounts ordinary ways people pass time while waiting and how those small behaviors revealed deeper connections. The experience led him to reflect on how waiting rooms bring together people from different backgrounds. He sees that shared vulnerability in such spaces can shape how vital civic places ought to function. Noted observations: - Arjun Sharma is a physician at the University Health Network in Toronto. - In the waiting room he noticed common behaviours such as playing Wordle, scrolling, pacing and quiet conversation. - Conversations ranged from small talk to candid personal stories about divorce, work and loss. - He recalls a historical NHS anecdote about dissimilar people sitting together in early clinic waiting rooms. - After his appointment, his doctor reassured him that his condition was not as serious as he had feared, though he still awaited a scan and medication. Summary: Sharma argues that waiting rooms act as informal civic spaces that equalize differences and foster moments of mutual recognition. He suggests these settings show how public places can connect people across social divides. He will continue to wait for a scan and for his medication to take effect.