Going Off-script

The morning was jam packed to say the least. We started off the day on a strict schedule of Patient Simulations. I felt as if I wasn't as jumpy from nervousness as I was from excitement but going in I didn't quite know what to expect. There were two patient types assigned to us all to rotate through: the grumpy old man and a female cancer patient. Personally, I found it relatively easy to connect to all the patient simulators I encountered, however, that didn't mean I succeeded the objective completely.

It felt weird at first to go in and pretend the actor wasn't acting; that they were a real patient. I think what helped me forget that they were actors was to remember that they were real people in the end. Aside from talking about their diagnosis and other specific details from the script they still probably pulled some small details from their real lives. I do enjoy talking to people and getting to know them but Im a little nervous to see my videos tomorrow... Im afraid I'll see that I have mannerisms that might come off as annoying or seem too aggressive in my questioning or not asking the patient enough questions. One thing that I remembered trying to do was to distract the patient with details about their lives so they could maybe forget their illness. I don't know if it worked but we'll see in the commentary tomorrow!

The afternoon breezed by just as fast as the morning did with ethics research, headshot (photographed above @Sanjana), a presentation on medical specialties, and the regular library overview for how to effectively research materials.

For me, I personally enjoyed the medical specialties presentation put on by the same two medical students who had given us our Bioweapons presentation (Molly and Julie). I recognized some information from previous research I had done online but their insights that they gave when we asked questions were very helpful into understanding some of the details a little more. For example, I didn't know that there was a Med-Peds residency, that doing a plastics fellowship was possible after a general surgery residency, or that Anesthesiologists were involved in pain management. For me hearing the details definitely gets me more and more excited about going into medicine but makes me even more confused as to what I really want to do.

I'll just have to see what the future holds when I get there!

- Morning Drive-in Jam -

Horns - Bryce Fox

Gypsy Woman - Jonathan Tyler

Ain't No Rest for the Wicked - Cage The Elephant

Legend - The Score

#MedExTierIII