Block 3 Reflections

“Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always.”

Brad Meltzer

This past week, I’ve been continually reminded how blessed I am. It’s an honor to wake up learn how to do something I love every day. Though each day can be long and challenging, they are rewarding at the same time. One thing that is certain is that I love being around kids and it’s been a blast working in a children’s hospital. Where else can you just stop what you’re doing and play Mario Kart with your patient for a half-hour? Seriously, how can you say no a little 5 year old when he’s all adorable and asks if you would stay and play with him? Though this week had it’s challenges, it’s also had it’s positives and I’ve learned a ton. I’ve worked with some great residents who took the time to encourage me, provide helpful feedback and make me feel included in the team. Our attendings also took time from their busy days to teach us about various topics related to their specialties.

One of our attendings recently told a story about a patient who kept coming into the hospital for episodes of fainting and no one knew why. With some clever detective work and the right questions, he discovered the patient was being bullied and had figured out if she took enough of a medication, she would be able to leave school, even if it meant going to the hospital. That story will stick with me for a while. Not only is it an excellent reminder of the importance of perseverance and taking the time to listen to your patients, it also is a stark reminder that you never truly know what someone’s going through until you ask. I would be completely lost without my support system behind me every step of the way. Sadly, many people lack these crucial supportive relationships.

It breaks my heart to see young, innocent children faced with traumatic experiences like bullying or abuse or neglect. We saw another patient recently who was placed into foster care and his whole world is about to change. Thankfully, the family happened to be known to our attending, which was incredibly reassuring, and it sounds like it will be an excellent match. It’s so difficult to even imagine what this kid was thinking or feeling because my own life has been so radically different. That’s probably why asking about trauma or even struggles at home can be difficult. When you haven’t had those experiences, they’re not at the front of your mind, but that’s exactly why we need to talk about these things. I promise you they’re very real to our patients, so we need to know what’s going on in our patients’ lives. Only with that knowledge are we able to intervene and advocate for them appropriately.

These last six weeks on my career exploration rotation have been such a great experience. I’ve learned a lot about life, how the hospital works and myself in the bargain. Everywhere around me I’m reminded of the power of team work, clear communication and listening to your patients. The power of advocacy and fighting for your patients also can’t be understated. I can’t wait to build these skills as I grow in my career and confidence in my abilities. I still am not crystal clear about where or what kind of programs I want to apply to for residency, but I am more clear about how I want to practice medicine in the future and that’s a start. My official pediatrics rotation starts Monday and I can’t wait to explore the field more with a great group of classmates.