Trust me, I'm (almost) a doctor!

This past week I started my first official sub-I. For those of you who don't know what that is, it's a clinical clerkship you do as a fourth year medical student where you basically work like you're an intern (aka: first year resident) and try to "show-off" your awesome skills and talent as a future physician. They are also referred to as "showcase rotations" for that reason. And hopefully the physicians, residents, and residency director like you enough so that when you apply and later interview at their program, they remembered how great you were during your sub-I that they want you to work for them.

So as I said, this is my first of a couple sub-I's that I'll be doing in Family Medicine. And I have to say I am having a blast! As much as I loved having time off this summer, I forgot how much I missed seeing patients. More specifically, the feeling I get coming home and knowing that I did something to better a person's quality of life. This week has been amazing. I got to see such a wide variety of patients from pregnant women to children to college folks to the elderly. And I got to do basically everything! Joint injections, some osteopathic manipulation, PAP smears, and even counseling an anorexic patient. That's what's so great about being a family practitioner. You literally get to experience the whole spectrum of medicine.

I have to say, though, I've also realized this week how much becoming a mother has changed how I practice and the level at which I can relate to my patients. The handful of OB patients I had, I felt like because I've been in their shoes that I could better explain to them what to expect and care for them with a different kind of empathy than others. I also had a couple women come in for post-partum visits, where I either gave them options and advice on contraception and family planning, talked to them about post-partum depression, and just chatted about how much life has changed being a mom. All things I could talk about before, but having gone through it all myself I feel like I can build a better relationship with my patients. It's one of those "you're not alone" things.

I know it's only been a week, but I can already tell that I made the right decision deciding to going into family practice. I feel like I just fit. Like putting on the perfect pair of shoes that are not only stylish but comfortable. I can see my future and I love it!

One Step Closer

I survived my Step 2 board exams. Weeks of studying, 400 questions, and eight hours later.... I'm still alive. I won't know for a few weeks if I passed or not. The thing is, I don't just want to pass. I want to do well so that I have an edge going into the residency application & interview process. So we'll see. I'm confident that all the hard work and effort I put in will pay off. 

In the mean time I bought a killer suit for the upcoming interview season. I start my first showcase rotation on Monday. So I figured just in case I get asked if I wanted to interview while I'm there, I better be prepared. I'm a strong believer in the idea that you need to dress to impress, which is hopefully what a $400 suit from Banana Republic will do. 

I've also been working on finishing up my residency application. I've had to write a personal statement, which is a page-long essay of sorts talking about why you chose to pursue the field you chose, as well as bragging a bit about what makes you an awesome doctor. It's actually not a very easy task writing about yourself. I'd like to think that writing this blog for the last few months has helped me refine my writing skills. 

Well, that's where I'm at right now. It's been such a relief to get my board exam out of the way, but now it's just onto another obstacle to tackle (meaning my residency application), then it'll be interviews, all while doing Sub-Interships in family medicine. Oh yeah, I have to be a wife and a mother too! Should be an interesting next few months. Naturally, I'll keep you updated :)

Picture Perfect

I recently had Killian's one year pictures done by an amazing photographer, Alyssa Proia. I can't even tell you how happy I am with how them came out, so I'll just show you:

This little boy just melts my heart. I can honestly say that my life wouldn't be complete without him. He has become our world. We are so very blessed.

I think I can, I think I can

Three days until my boards..... which is why I haven't been real chatty recently. This has pretty much been my life:

Coffe, study materials, and my computer (for online question banks and periodically checking facebook).

I've turned into a zombie. I've even gone as far as to bring my study materials to the gym. My very understanding and compassionate husband quizzes me throughout the day. The only time I'm not studying is when I'm taking care of the little man, who is absolutely opposed to me doing anything but paying attention to him.

I promise to be a more active participant of my blog after Monday. And a week after that I start a new rotation, so I'll have loads more to talk about. That's if I survive my test..... Wish me luck!

P.S.
9 months and 2 weeks until graduation. Holy cow!!!

Role Doctor

I apologize for being AWOL the last week or so. I was up in Maine doing some school stuff, and I've been pre-occupied with studying for my boards. Not to mention, I have my residency application looming over my head. And it's hard to not feel guilty taking time to write a blog post when there's all these other important things to do that determine the fate of my future as a physician. Still, writing on here is very cathartic for me and I should really do it more.

Anyways... I read an article on CNN.com this morning that begged the question, "Should Doctors Practice What They Preach?" Before even reading it, I thought "Of course! That's a stupid question!" But really, is your doctor a "Role Doctor"? (Yes, I made that up!). The article was actually written by a physician, who went on to describe another doctor he worked under in medical school was quite overweight, chain-smoked, and drank Mountain Dew all day. He talks about one experience where Dr. McUnhealthy was lecturing an obese patient to diet and exercise, and the patient responded with, "When's the last time you skipped a meal?" I couldn't help but laugh out loud. The patient rolled his eyes as he walked out the door.

I was reminded of this one doctor I worked with while on my surgery rotation who went out to his car in between every surgery to smoke. One day he just finished doing a resection of a cancerous lung tumor and STILL left to go suck down some nicotine. You'd think that performing lung biopsies and treating patients with cancer on a regular basis would be a good deterrent from smoking, but I guess not for him. And it's certainly hard for a patient to take a doctor's smoking cessation advice seriously when said doctor wreaks of cigarettes himself.

It seems kind of obvious to me that your patients will take your advice more seriously if you are a good role model. Maybe they will think that if you (the doctor) can live a healthy lifestyle by exercising, eating healthy, and not smoking despite having a very demanding job, then they could too. I mean, would you ever hire a personal trainer who was overweight? Or take financial advice from someone who has money problems of their own?

Thankfully I have a great doctor who I can actually look up to. The last time I saw her, I was telling her how I just ran my first 5k. She was so supportive and happy for me. She then encouraged me to sign up for another one next month that she's actually running in herself. Now there's a good Role Doctor!

I bet you wish your Dr.
looked this this!

Now I'm not saying you have to look like the pseudo-doctors from Grey's Anatomy to be a good physician. It certainly takes a lot more to get your patients to actually follow-through with your advice. For one, you have to be relatable, trusting, honest, empathetic.... just to name a few. But it certainly helps to if you can lead by example, which is what I hope to do as a doctor. Just like I try to do as a mother.