“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.”
Robert Frost
Today marked the last day of my psychiatry clerkship. I had an amazing experience over these past six weeks. Finally getting to interact with patients and be part of the medical team was incredible. Everyone I interacted with taught me a great deal. The residents and attending physicians encouraged us to meet many different patients, trusting us to use our new evaluation skills to gather information, present our findings and suggest a plan for each patient’s care. If we ever needed help or felt unsafe, we knew we could count on them to have our backs. After seeing all our patients for the day, one of my attending physicians would tell stories about anything and everything, each with a pearl of wisdom or advice embedded. Looking back, I think I learned just as much about life as I did about medicine over these last few weeks. Here are just a few thoughts I’ve been reflecting on.
1. Expect the unexpected.
Third year is full of so many new and exciting opportunities. At the same time, it can feel like you’ve been thrown into the deep end. It’s impossible to know what exactly to expect. Every day, every patient, every team and every hospital is different. Over the next year, we will so often be learning new skills and finding ourselves in new environments that it pays to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. I had no clue what to expect when I entered my psychiatry rotation, but in the end enjoyed it more than I ever would have imagined. Each learning opportunity has something new to offer, so make a point to be present and say yes to new experiences. (Someone remind me of this in a few weeks when I’m scared out of my mind before I attend my first delivery or do my first PAP smear!)
2. There is power in silence.
In the hospital, silence is healing. For patients who are sick, anxious and confused, being in a quiet space is calming. A good night’s sleep somewhere peaceful where you feel safe can be enough to tide a patient over while their medications are taking effect. When talking to patients, silence is powerful. It allows patient and interviewer to gather their thoughts, while showing you value what the patient has to say. By utilizing strategically placed open-ended questions, then actively listing while allowing patients to tell their story, you show you truly care about their concerns. We all have a deep desire to feel heard. Sometimes, there is nothing really helpful to be said or done and the best thing you can do is just be there for the patient. So get comfortable with silence. Rather than being awkward, it is much more often empowering.
3. We must learn to use our voice.
It can be so tempting to, like the Ariel in The Little Mermaid, trade our voice for something with more worldly value. Whether it be legs, recognition, status, or power, the alternative is never what it seems cracked up to be. As future physicians, we will often meet patients during one of the worst times of their lives. They will rely on us to advocate for them and amplify their voices. We must learn to use our voices to fight for those who too often go ignored and unheard. We must also not forget to look out for one another and stand up against mistreatment of any form. Medicine is a team sport and we are all in this together. We can’t effectively take care of others if we don’t take care of ourselves.
4. When in doubt, remember Robert Frost.
In the next year, we will have so many decisions to make. We will decide what specialty we want to go into, where we want to do residency and the type of program we want. To me, the options seem so numerous that I get overwhelmed even trying to figure out where to start. What comforts me is that, though it may be difficult to decide, it is possible to succeed wherever I end up. Like the traveller at a crossroads in The Road Less Travelled, the path I choose will be the right path because it will lead me to where I’m meant to be. It may be different than I ever imagined. I mean, I do sometimes wonder if God hears my best laid plans and just laughs. Nevertheless, it will be quite the adventure and I look forward to seeing where it leads me.
The Music of Medicine 