Island Med Student

Before I start, I want to take a moment to thank everyone for all their comments on my last post. I enjoyed reading all of them (even the negative ones!) and I appreciate everyone taking the time to leave me helpful advice and thoughtful words. To provide a very quick update, my surgery rotation has been going so much better! It turns out that my first week was just a horrible combination of a heavy patient load, not knowing the hospital, being new to rotations, and a bunch of other things. Since then, things have been going much more smoothly. (Although I still have a lot to say about medical training, which I’ll share in the future.)

Today I had an encounter with a patient who spoke very little English. Her doctor had explained to her that she needed an above the knee amputation, but hadn’t done the best job of explaining it to her in a way she could understand. In addition to that, I don’t think the doctor realized how much of their conversation had been lost in translation. When I came in to examine her, I could tell that she was very upset. I had to contact a few people and find a way to explain to her what was going on. After I helped, she thanked me profusely for taking the time to help her understand her options.

Afterwards, I felt so glad that I had paused in my busy day to help ease her anxiety. The time I spent running around trying to figure things out turned out to be much more appreciated than my cleaning and dressing of her wounds. It made me feel like more of a doctor than auscultating her heart or percussing her abdomen.

The past two weeks of my surgery rotation have been so empowering for me. I’ve finally had the opportunity to spend lots of time with my patients. I’ve been able to really get to know them. I’ve even had the opportunity to participate in their care and operate on them. I’ve seen their progression from the emergency room, to being admitted, to being prepped for surgery, to their actual operation, and then to their experiences post-operatively. No longer are they just a series of lab values or vital signs. I know their stories. I’ve aided in their care.

This is what makes me get up at 5:00 in the morning. This is what makes me be able to work for 12+ hours. This is what makes me want to get up in the morning and do it all over again.

Many times I have thought about doctors who choose fields like research and healthcare policy, where there is less patient contact. Honestly, I don’t know how they do it. I sometimes say that I am selfish because I don’t think I could do it. Yes, they might be able to help more people in the end, but I guess I need that instant gratification. I need to see that smile on my patient’s face. I need to hear their words of relief. I need to touch them and ease their suffering when possible.

I’ve received so many kind thanks from patients over the years. But I want all of them to know that I’ve received so much from them. They keep me going. They are more of a gift to me than I think I’ve ever been to them. And that’s something to be thankful for.

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