Thankful

Hello, blog friends! It has been a while since I've posted here. Part of that was me studying for Step 2, part of it was me binge watching Netflix, and part of that is because I have been blogging for Medscape's student blog, The Differential. I encourage you medically-minded people to go check it out! You need a Medscape account to log in and view the content, but it's free to sign up. :)

I am in the middle of my two month stint in the ER. And while it is exhausting, I do enjoy it a lot - thought it can't compare to the OR. ;) One thing that I've been reminded of recently is how thankful I am that patients agree to let me, a medical student, be involved in their care. I wrote a post earlier today for Medscape where I mentioned that it is our patients, not people standing at the front of lecture halls or writing medical text books, who truly teach us about the art of practicing medicine. And I am so thankful for all of my patients-teachers. I try to approach every encounter with a patient as a learning opportunity, because I am early enough into my career to know just how little I know about medicine. So I try to look for something in each interaction with a patient that I can learn from.

Earlier this week I stitched up a little girl who had been bitten by a dog. And while I was hunched over awkwardly so she could lay comfortably on the bed while watching videos on her iPad, I looked up at her mom. Her mom smiled at me and thanked me for being so gentle and patient with her daughter (who was rightfully terrified - ain't nobody like needles!). I smiled back at her and said it was no problem. But in my head, I wanted to be like, "Ummm, are you kidding? You just let me, a fourth year medical student, literally sew your child back together! I should be thanking you!" And that is the truth. Because patients don't have to let us medical students into their rooms when they don't feel good, and have already been asked a million questions by other (essential) members of their medical team. But they do anyways. And I will forever be thankful to all of my patients for the lessons they have taught me, and for the opportunities to develop into the kind of doctor I always wanted to be.