"What happens in an OR, stays in an OR."
Actually NO because the OR is so much fun that you should tell everyone about it! Today was the first day of surgeries after yesterday's long screening process to pick the best cases to work on for the rest of this week. Three surgeries were done today. I was there for two of them, a grueling 9 hours for TWO surgeries. Since I'm still a pre-med student, I couldn't do any actual work during the surgery except assist in handing over equipment, organizing, serving as a communicator/translator between the American doctors and the Arab doctors, and passing information on to families.
Yes, I spoke to the families. I smiled at a mother who cried as nurses wheeled her six year old son with Erb's Palsy away to the OR. I then saw her on my way out of the hospital after his surgery, rubbed her arm comfortingly and gave her my well wishes for him. I joked with the 4 year old boy who was waiting for his turn in the OR and made him laugh to distract him from the chatting doctors and nurses. I grew tired of correcting people who called me "Doctora", or Doctor in Arabic, every time someone saw me in my blue scrubs and PCRF vest or heard me mention I was what they would consider a medical student (there is no pre-med in the Middle East, just 7 years of medical school).
The most important thing I learned today was the importance of LEARNING. Sometimes we become too eager to show off and prove that we know what we are doing. However, I found myself admiring the Palestinian doctor who was learning a procedure from the PCRF doctor. When he felt uncomfortable with making a cut or wasn't sure of how to proceed, he told him right away with being nervous or worried. I trust a doctor who doubts himself when necessary and admits his weakness. It means he knows he's not the best and wants to learn more.
It means that even if he is the best, he still wants to learn to become better, and that is the kind of doctor I hope to be.
Actually NO because the OR is so much fun that you should tell everyone about it! Today was the first day of surgeries after yesterday's long screening process to pick the best cases to work on for the rest of this week. Three surgeries were done today. I was there for two of them, a grueling 9 hours for TWO surgeries. Since I'm still a pre-med student, I couldn't do any actual work during the surgery except assist in handing over equipment, organizing, serving as a communicator/translator between the American doctors and the Arab doctors, and passing information on to families.
Yes, I spoke to the families. I smiled at a mother who cried as nurses wheeled her six year old son with Erb's Palsy away to the OR. I then saw her on my way out of the hospital after his surgery, rubbed her arm comfortingly and gave her my well wishes for him. I joked with the 4 year old boy who was waiting for his turn in the OR and made him laugh to distract him from the chatting doctors and nurses. I grew tired of correcting people who called me "Doctora", or Doctor in Arabic, every time someone saw me in my blue scrubs and PCRF vest or heard me mention I was what they would consider a medical student (there is no pre-med in the Middle East, just 7 years of medical school).
The most important thing I learned today was the importance of LEARNING. Sometimes we become too eager to show off and prove that we know what we are doing. However, I found myself admiring the Palestinian doctor who was learning a procedure from the PCRF doctor. When he felt uncomfortable with making a cut or wasn't sure of how to proceed, he told him right away with being nervous or worried. I trust a doctor who doubts himself when necessary and admits his weakness. It means he knows he's not the best and wants to learn more.
It means that even if he is the best, he still wants to learn to become better, and that is the kind of doctor I hope to be.
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