Did you say... helicopter?

Fast paced and bloody, thats the ER. Dr. Sarah Fabiano, who works as an Emergency Medicine doctor, came to talk to us first thing this morning. It was interesting to hear that she started off as a PT and Im finding that most of the physicians or healthcare professionals that we talk to don't seem to start off in the career path that they are in today.

One of her main reasons for doing trauma, which I thought was interesting, was not just for the adrenalin but because she knew doing rounds like in internal medicine would make her fall asleep. She also liked that once she was done for the day and signed out she's done for the day. Dr. Fabiano also talked about how GHS incorporates the helicopter into reaching patients in critical care in different areas (and that we might be able to see it!!). Overall I liked hearing how patient she was about EM and it seems like an interesting field (all the adrenalin and weird cases) but I don't think its the eventual career path for me.

The helicopter I think we would have seen. Another day I guess!

After Dr. Fabiano's talk, Ms. Jessica Sharp (the Diversity Manager for GHS) came in to talk to us about diversity and inclusion and how it is necessary in the healthcare field. I think the role of our unconscious bias certainly plays an important part in our day-to-day decisions, whether we like it or not (thanks amygdala). It really shocked me though when she showed the proposed statistic that by 2050 the US population will consist of a 47% white minority (not accounting for the current/future administration's attempts to cut down on immigration). Personally, I've never lived somewhere where I've been the minority but I would say the only place I've ever felt like one is when I travel in South America. Its an odd feeling to experience as a white female from Canada but its something I want to become comfortable with, especially since I want to eventually work abroad in other countries.

One topic that Ms. Sharp covered that always confuses me but I try to understand the best that I can is the LGBT community. I do have friends and family who are apart of this community but it certainly is hard to understand when you're an outsider. Its incredibly saddening to see that this patient population is more at risk for alcohol, drug, and tobacco abuse as well as being x2-3 more likely to attempt suicide AND to be homeless. Just growing up and being a teenager is hard, I can't imagine what it would be like to grow up with non-supportive friends and family as well as turning to these outlets on top of everything. Its most likely inevitable that I will eventually have a patient apart of the LGBTQ community, no matter what specialty I decide on, so I'll try to teach my cisgender mind to understand now than later.

- Morning Drive-In Jam -

LA Devotee - Panic at the Disco

Uma Thurman - Fall Out Boy

Hard Times - Paramore

Suggested books and articles:

The New Jim Crow - Michelle Alexander

How to Overcome Our Biases? Walk boldly towards them - Verna Myers (Ted Talk)

The Nacirema - James Spradley

Colour Blind or Colour Brave? - Mellody Hobson (Ted Talk)

Harvard Implicit Association Test

Gen Silent - Stu Maddux, director (documentary)

Trans activists:

- Janet Mock

- Jazz Jennings

#MedExTierIII