I'm Still Kicking!

Hey friends!

I know it's been a while and I'm so sorry for taking FOREVER to write up a new post. Honestly I just haven't really had any inspiration to write. The last thing I want to do is to write up a blog post and have it not be genuine. I started this blog to just help out others the way I was helped throughout this whole medical school journey so the last thing I wanted was to be posting emotions I don't genuinely feel while I'm here. Today I got that inspiration back.

We had our very first community clinic today. For those of you who don't know what it is, we go out in small groups to different villages in Dominica and perform a medical history and physical exam on a REAL PATIENT. This is done all on our own (with our junior faculty watching us to make sure we are performing our skills correctly) but we run the whole interview and physical exam on a patient who is experiencing actual symptoms and are dealing with an actual disease.

A group of colleagues and I went to a village about 30 minutes from our town thinking we were going to see two patients in the clinic but once we arrived we quickly realized the clinic had actually planned two home visits for us. As nervous as I was I was kind of excited to see what a home visit was actually like. So, we had a quick drive over to our patients house and then it was my colleagues and my show. We were greeted by a very friendly gentleman who welcomed us into his home with open arms and was ready for us to learn and to use him as a learning tool. As I sat there and spoke to the patient I realized how lucky I am to have my health and to be aware of any health concerns I could face (i.e. caffeine withdrawal). This gentleman was speaking to my colleague and I about his condition and how at first he had no idea what any of his diagnoses meant. It took him several years before actually realizing that what he is suffering from will not end well if not treated properly. This whole process of interview and physical exam took approximately an hour and I couldn't have been more grateful for the whole experience. The fact that this gentleman is suffering from several diseases and is still so happy, friendly and so willing to help students improve their medical knowledge makes my heart so warm.

This made me think about how fortunate we are back at home to have a significant amount of patient education and support groups to help patients as they go through any diseases they may be suffering from. As well as being so incredibly grateful to be able to go on this amazing, yet sometimes frustrating, journey to become a doctor. When we walk into a room we are the person in charge of this persons health and they look up to us for that. It shouldn't be taken lightly but also not to the other extreme of an overwhelming amount of pressure. I always find myself on the latter, putting too much pressure on myself to know everything and getting frustrated when I don't. A good friend of mine left me with this message and I'm going to leave it here for all of you...

"You diagnose your patient with your mind and not your heart, so study with your mind and not your heart. Your mind will save your patient. Your heart will comfort them."

- Jen