February 9, 2010

• Out of Patience with Outpatients

  Currently I am on ambulatory medicine this month, which is basically just a bunch of outpatient medicine. Specifically, my job is to show up to a different clinic every half day and then just park my butt in the seat while I shadow the attending for half the day learning about different things in that clinic. Clinic range from surgery clinic (sounds cool, isn’t) to allergy and dermatology (sounds boring, is.)

  While I welcome the increase in free time this month has afforded me to study for licensing and spend time with friends, if I am honest I have to say this is a giant waste of time and I dont see the point. I am doing less than a medical student, and to spend time and gas trekking across the valley and downtown to watch some dermatologist freeze a wart off someone’s foot or pretend I care for even three seconds about sports medicine is a farce. If I had wanted to go into any of these fields, or been even remotely interested in them, I would have gotten it out of my system during my 4th year of medical school. And how much can you really learn in 3 half day visits? Anything that will change the way I practice medicine? unlikely at best, aside from re-affirming that feet are gross.

  And so, I continue to try and maintain weekly posts, but sadly seem to have lost the storytelling ability that I had during medical school. I am not happy that everytime I sign on to xanga it seems to be to complain or make excuses, but unfortunately I havent had much to say lately. No fascinating patient stories either because of medicine or psychiatric reasons, my research is just barely interesting even to me, and Ihavent done a whole lot with my life recently in terms of anything I think would be interesting to write about.

  Bear with me I guess, and one day perhaps I may have something worthwhile to say again. Maybe I will throw up a post on vday and my lack of plans for hallmarks biggest profit festival.

  -J

  • 7:58 pm
  • 3 Comments