Each day in the wards/cath lab is so busy that I hardly register how fast time is passing. It's been a really short period, but such an insightful experience. I've been inspired in many ways.
By patients. Those who have so much courage, cheerful optimism, and a heart of gold. We met a patient with a history of rheumatic heart disease presenting with features of congestive cardiac failure. I was really moved by her strength and courage to come to terms with her current condition, her cheerful disposition and her willingness to help clueless medical students like us by allowing us to take a history and perform a physical examination despite her weak frame and easily fatiguability. Her words of encouragement were really heartening.
By doctors. Dr Chong's schedule was packed to the minute, but yet he managed to squeeze pockets of time in between procedures, clinics and appointments just to talk us through cases and concepts. It was also very inspiring to sit in for clinics and observe how he interacted with his patients and managed them, listening to their concerns however trivial without interrupting, greeting them with a smile and ensuring that they were important in the decision making process. I think we all hope to be a doctor like that, whom despite the busy schedules and the heavy responsibilities, remembers the importance of listening and the human touch.
Yesterday when we left the hospital we went back to say goodbye to all the patients whom we've met over the course of the 4 days. It made me realize how much you can help someone just by being there and lending a listening ear. It was so nice to chit chat with the patients and their families, and I was especially heartened by an old lady whom opened up to us a bit more every time we went back to say hi after being convinced that we weren't going back to ask more questions haha!
Over the course of medical school, there are always periods where I feel incredibly inadequate both in terms of medical knowledge and patient communication. But someone shared with me that it's not so much the person that you were that is important, but the person that you will become. I guess it's all part of the learning process (:
By patients. Those who have so much courage, cheerful optimism, and a heart of gold. We met a patient with a history of rheumatic heart disease presenting with features of congestive cardiac failure. I was really moved by her strength and courage to come to terms with her current condition, her cheerful disposition and her willingness to help clueless medical students like us by allowing us to take a history and perform a physical examination despite her weak frame and easily fatiguability. Her words of encouragement were really heartening.
By doctors. Dr Chong's schedule was packed to the minute, but yet he managed to squeeze pockets of time in between procedures, clinics and appointments just to talk us through cases and concepts. It was also very inspiring to sit in for clinics and observe how he interacted with his patients and managed them, listening to their concerns however trivial without interrupting, greeting them with a smile and ensuring that they were important in the decision making process. I think we all hope to be a doctor like that, whom despite the busy schedules and the heavy responsibilities, remembers the importance of listening and the human touch.
Yesterday when we left the hospital we went back to say goodbye to all the patients whom we've met over the course of the 4 days. It made me realize how much you can help someone just by being there and lending a listening ear. It was so nice to chit chat with the patients and their families, and I was especially heartened by an old lady whom opened up to us a bit more every time we went back to say hi after being convinced that we weren't going back to ask more questions haha!
Over the course of medical school, there are always periods where I feel incredibly inadequate both in terms of medical knowledge and patient communication. But someone shared with me that it's not so much the person that you were that is important, but the person that you will become. I guess it's all part of the learning process (:
