A mental battle against HIV: it’s not as simple as black or white.

I still remember the first time I felt blood infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The patient was lying in front of me after I had drawn a femoral blood sample. I put the needle into the sharps container and looked down to see a dollop of fresh dark blood glistening on my glove. This experience came only one week into my elective in South Africa.