Poquito Mas!
Today’s pic was taken on my way to the hospital. That fire hydrant has been broken since my first day of surgery.
Because my hospital resides in a very latino neighborhood, our patients largely reflect that demographic. I would guesstimate that around 20% of our patients speak very little, if no, English. Because of this, I’ve been trying to increase my Spanish vocabulary (unfortunately, my crappy French is much better). Pretty much all of our residents and attendings speak at least some Spanish. My phrase learned from today is “poquito mas!”
Anyway, here’s a short list of stuff learned today.
1) How to perform an open appendectomy (I got to scrub in and even impress my attending by knowing that “verm” meant worm).
2) How to perform an exploratory laparotomy (ex lap) with partial bowel resection and lysis of adhesions.
3) If being a surgeon meant spending 100% of the time in the OR, more med students would go into surgery.
4) It’s a lot easier for me to go without rest, food, and sleep when I’m scrubbed into a surgery and elbow deep in someone’s bowels.
5) How to use staples to close an incision. So much fun!
6) My fave phrases from the surgeon, “in surgery, if it gives, take it! if not, wait for it!” and “burn baby burn!”
I’m so tired right now! G’nite all!
My name is Kendra and I am a fourth-year medical student attending