On Medical Electives
A month before the start of clinical clerkship, I was often asked by family and friends if I was ready. For the most part, I was. I had accomplished the requirements for enrollment and was more excited than apprehensive. It was refreshing. However, I have always believed that you can never be completely prepared for something new. And I was right. Reality has a way of humbling you.
Despite my profound interest in Psychiatry, my first elective, I had and still have much to learn. The first patient whom I was assigned to left me grasping at the history taking skills I learned in theory. Fortunately, she had just consulted for a refill prescription and willingly spoke of her condition. Unfortunately, she didn’t have the patience to wait for the consultant and left before being examined. The following days saw an influx of more patients and I did my best to improve over two weeks. Knowing what symptoms to look and ask for, along with the pathophysiology of diseases, enabled me to arrive at a diagnosis and treatment faster. Observing patient behavior during interview and applying prescribed criteria for assessment helped eliminate non-pathologic cases. Practice, I realize, indeed makes perfect.
The latter two weeks of the month was spent in the department of Radiology. Honestly, my decision to take this as my second elective was greatly influenced by endorsements from friends. An easy elective with a light workload, they said. It was just what I had been looking for the holidays. Reviewing what I had learned in theory was just a bonus here. I was surprised to find myself actually enjoying observing ultrasonography procedures, especially of the breast, as it offered a preview into women’s health concerns and awareness. We had a patient who was also a radiologist seeking a secondary screening for breast cancer since she had a close relative who passed away because of it. This only served to remind me that doctors aren’t invincible. We’re human and just as susceptible to diseases as anyone else.
