People as Patients

So you might think the title is a little weird, but this is what I'm trying to get at: a patient isn't ever "just a patient," they're a father, mother, brother, sister, grandmother, best friend, and so on. 

I spent the good part of a year in an outpatient clinic and going on rounds a few times in hospitals, and what I liked seeing, despite poor prognoses or advanced diseases in patients, was a family member or loved one accompanying the patient.

That's part of what I like about medicine, how there's the human element everyday, loved ones who really want the patient to get better, and people who really just do everything for that one person.  In medicine you really see the best in people, as well as the worst.  However, it's some pretty touching stories that really make me feel great about the career I've chosen and fortunately, have been able to pursue.

I saw a lot of adult patients with a doctor in an outpatient clinic, ranging from generally healthy, ambulant patients to people who've lost a lot of their mobility and independence.  Sometimes the patient felt defeated about their illness, but what really touched me was how their loved ones didn't give up and how they sacrificed a lot of their time and energy to take care of the patient.  I think that's pretty much the definition of "love."  Sometimes when I'd see an elderly couple, one of them the patient with an advanced condition, the other, their spouse, I'd kind of think, "wow, that's dedication."  I also wondered if in the future, I'd find someone like that.  It'd be nice.

I hear a lot about people getting burned out as physicians, and I can definitely understand that.  I feel like it's something every doctor has a brush with at the very least, and I hope I actually won't end up burned out once I get into the real world with more concrete responsibilities regarding patient care.  I'll be sure to write a lot about my experiences about the stress, strain and pressure of medical school and beyond, but hopefully, it won't be so bad.

I know I'm young and not that experienced in medicine, but I really believe that if there's something you really love and you feel worn down, there'll be that one thing, or a few things that really keep you going.  I sure hope my optimism and energy lasts me as I get put through the wringer that is medical school, residency, and practice, just like the neurosurgeons, pediatricians and neurologists that I've met.  Those are the people I really look up to, not just because they're great at what they do, but because they've seized life and have grasped happiness and fulfillment.  Yea, I'm an existentialist.

Seeya.