My sister has three beautiful babies, Amelia and Josephine (they are two year old twins) and Hazel, who is still only a few months old. Today I was returning home from volunteering at the MTC and decided to stop by my sisters house on 200 north by main street, just to see how they were doing. It turns out that Joe has had some nasty diaper rash for the past two days or so...
So before I go on I should say that I typically identify myself as a pretty emotionally in-touch person with an affinity for children; I have considered being a children's doctor. I enjoy being around kids and making them laugh. I guess you could say I am one of those people that likes it when we all get along, when everyone feels comfortable in a room and enjoys themselves. But today it was difficult for me to watch as Joe cried and cried most of the day over the red sensitive skin below her waist. She cried in real pain as Shelley held her trying to calm her down. I watched as Shelley took off her diaper to reveal the cherry-red skin below the diaper line. It was awful to see a little child in pain, and there wasn't a whole lot we could do about it other than apply some lotion and give her some Tylenol. I tried not to feel a little disturbed driving home. It was terrible to hear her panicked crying and not be able to do anything.
Anyway, as an aspiring physician, I can see myself enjoying alleviating the pain that others feel. I can see myself waging a war against the discomfort of my fellow men. I look forward to providing relief to the infirm and diseased. I sometimes think that I'm too much of a 'warm and fuzzy' kind of guy to cope with med school and the intensity of the health care atmosphere toward which I'm heading. It seems to me that a lot of pre-med students are the aggressive and assertive type, 'jerks' if you will. You know what I mean? The analytical and logical type, the kind of doctors that, from my view, have difficulty giving reassuring, calm and concerned support to patients. I far remove myself from these 'pit bulls' I encounter, but I can see myself having to work with many of them. I expect that I'll be singled out as the 'nice guy' during medical school and during my career. Or perhaps I have got it all wrong, which I am ready to admit.
I guess more and more I am feeling more comfortable with my decision to be a physician. It feels in a way like coming home, that this identity suits me well.
So before I go on I should say that I typically identify myself as a pretty emotionally in-touch person with an affinity for children; I have considered being a children's doctor. I enjoy being around kids and making them laugh. I guess you could say I am one of those people that likes it when we all get along, when everyone feels comfortable in a room and enjoys themselves. But today it was difficult for me to watch as Joe cried and cried most of the day over the red sensitive skin below her waist. She cried in real pain as Shelley held her trying to calm her down. I watched as Shelley took off her diaper to reveal the cherry-red skin below the diaper line. It was awful to see a little child in pain, and there wasn't a whole lot we could do about it other than apply some lotion and give her some Tylenol. I tried not to feel a little disturbed driving home. It was terrible to hear her panicked crying and not be able to do anything.
Anyway, as an aspiring physician, I can see myself enjoying alleviating the pain that others feel. I can see myself waging a war against the discomfort of my fellow men. I look forward to providing relief to the infirm and diseased. I sometimes think that I'm too much of a 'warm and fuzzy' kind of guy to cope with med school and the intensity of the health care atmosphere toward which I'm heading. It seems to me that a lot of pre-med students are the aggressive and assertive type, 'jerks' if you will. You know what I mean? The analytical and logical type, the kind of doctors that, from my view, have difficulty giving reassuring, calm and concerned support to patients. I far remove myself from these 'pit bulls' I encounter, but I can see myself having to work with many of them. I expect that I'll be singled out as the 'nice guy' during medical school and during my career. Or perhaps I have got it all wrong, which I am ready to admit.
I guess more and more I am feeling more comfortable with my decision to be a physician. It feels in a way like coming home, that this identity suits me well.
Over the past 6 1/2 years, I have seen many many doctors, and mostly pediatric doctors up until 2 years ago. I can say the best doctors I have had in the pediatric field were extremely friendly, concerned, and actually interested in me as a PERSON and not just a patient. There were a number of doctors that just.. I don't know how to put it really, they seemed to only really be interested in and focused on the diagnosis, the medicine, the symptoms, and the test results. Not that my quality of life didn't matter to them, but that wasn't their first goal... the first goal was to get me healthy according to the numbers.
ReplyDeleteMany of these doctors who were like this are highly respected doctors, are in the top of their field and work at one of the most prestigious children's hospital in America, that I was lucky enough to live close enough to to be able to be seen there.
I always kind of imagined these doctors, when they were students, must have been slightly arrogant, very very smart, aware of just how smart they were, so smart in fact, it had a negative influence on their social life and their social capabilities. Which isn't all bad - hey, they do amazing work! But I wasn't always a happy patient when being with these doctors. They always seemed so serious and I could almost sense a social deprivation in their lives.
Now, the doctors that I will always remember were polar opposites. They smiled. They asked me how life is, and NOT in a way that felt somewhat forced. Over-all, they just really seemed to have a passion for their career. And not just the science of it, but the people they meet and the changes they can make in people's lives. That was their passion.
And out of all the doctors I had, the best doctors, really, the ones who had the top position in their field, ran the program, held the highest title, were those friendly doctors who stick out in my mind the most.
Spence, I think you'll make a fantastic doctor. It's BECAUSE you're the 'nice guy' that you will succeed in this path. :)
We need more nice doctors out there and less here take some drugs give me your money and get out doctors. I have been on at least 10 different prescriptions in the last 2 years. None really doing what they should be doing.
ReplyDeleteYou can take care of people and do what needs to be done rather then just trying to take the easy was out. You will be able to know the people you help and do what is best for them.
you are an amazing guy Spencer!! You will be able to go far in life. Don't worry about med school. It is a huge competitive field but I know you have it in you to push through no matter what and end up on top the right way not the wrong way.