Trust

“Trust is the glue of life. It is the most essential ingredient in effective communication. It’s the foundational principle that holds all relationships.”

Stephen Covey

This week, I started my family medicine rotation. I’m excited to see what it’s like to have the kind of continuity of care that allows you to know your patients like the back of your hand. It’s such a privilege to be let into a patient’s life that intimately. For many patients, navigating the healthcare system is a constant battle, one that many choose not to fight unless absolutely necessary. Whether they are faced with a lack of access to care or past experiences that left a sour taste in their mouth, we as future doctors are faced with an uphill battle to regain our patients’ trust. It takes time to build relationships where patients feel comfortable fully disclosing their concerns, but the result is something special.

I recently met a patient with sickle cell anemia who had been admitted to the hospital. As we got to know her, she talked about her experiences as a patient. At one hospital, she was questioned about whether her pain was real and denied medication because she couldn’t have been in that much pain. She knew to request the same team, from attending physician to nursing staff, because she trusted them to not ignore her. Later we were called to her room as she developed an episode of severe pain. Our resident calmly sat by her bedside and held her hand, reassuring her as her medications began to take effect. Once the episode subsided, she showed more concern about us than herself, not wanting us to see her in such pain. I was so moved by the gesture, struck by how fortunate I am to be so healthy and in awe of those who battle chronic pain with such grace every day.

As I move toward residency and become inundated by paperwork, phone calls and other daily tasks, I hope to never be too busy to listen to my patients. I know what it’s like to feel like no one is listening. I remember going to an urgent care during college, worried I had developed a skin infection. As I explained my concerns, the physician kept insisting I had injured my ankle despite my many attempts to tell him that there was nothing wrong with it. I lost all trust in him immediately. As patients, we know our bodies best. Collaborating with us gets you so much further than if we aren’t included in the discussion. Experiences like these are exactly why I am applying to Internal Medicine-Pediatrics residency. There are so many studies that show that outcomes are worse for patients with chronic conditions once they leave pediatric medicine. That’s plain unacceptable. Something needs to change and I’m ready to help fight to make it happen. If I can help at least one patient through continuing to see them as long as they’re comfortable or ensuring a smooth transition of care to an adult provider, then I will absolutely have done my job.