the medical interview.....

so i've just finished reading this book " the soul of doctors". its a collection of personal experiences by medical students from Harvard Medical School. and it touches quite close to home the personal experiences I have since starting clinical rotations. one particular story that struck me the most was that of the medical student being turned down repeatedly by patients to take histories or perform examinations. He hated those patients and even more so their ignorance on their contributions to the teaching of future doctors. Not that I haven't been turned down before.

I've been turned away as many times before as the next medical student, but today seemed oddly different.While I use to bear quite a grudge on the patients that were unfriendly and stubborn somehow things were different today. Having set myself the task of seeing 3 patients a day this semester, I decided to start my day at the Gastroenterology ward today, to brush up on my GI Hx and Ex skills. Patient number 1 " sorry, it's embarrassing enough, my story, I dont really want to share it with students" Patient number 2 " I'm having trouble breathing right now, I'm sorry". I don't mind such patients who tell you from the start they did not like to be disturbed, the worst ones are the ones who agree at first and then decide halfway through to get pissed off and tell you to leave, those people are a huge waste of time, not just mine but the hospital's as well. But noot feeling defeated, I press on and I find 'david', chronic alcoholic who was at first apprehensive but warmed up and shared with me his life story. then came Mr R who was so obliging, you wish all patients were just like him. and last of the day was 'Mano' another wisened old man who was a great story teller. Because of his gregariousness, his history was a tough one to take as he often went off track. These 3 gentlemen restored my faith in the existence of the 'good' patient.

Alot of patient's really aren't aware of the amount of influence they have on a medical students development and their learning process. Every single patient, complicated or simple adds great depth to a future doctor's medical acumen. while i can understand their concerns for wanting their own privacy, there is really no other way for good students to become great doctors, without learning from the sick themselves. To all medical students out there, and those deciding to enter medical school, like everything else that you seek, good things don't come easy and persistence always pays off.