February 11, 2010

• On Clinic and VD (the day, not the disease)

  I have my own panel of patients now…which is kinda neat, admittedly.

  To elaborate, every thursday afternoon, I have what is called my “continuity clinc”. It is supposed to teach you how doctors follow up their patients over the long term, providing continuity of care…one doctor, one patient, no illness left behind yada yada yada. What it has actually been for the most part is an urgent care center where once a week I see patients with simple complaints like pap smears or colds or medication refills because their regular doctor isnt available to see them.

  But in the last month or two I have been starting to slowly get my own panel of patients, people for whom I am their primary care doctor, their gatekeeper to hospital medicine. If they need a referral, it comes through me…if they want to see how their blood pressure control is, I am the one with whom they make an appointment. It’s rather empowering, and makes me feel just a tiny bit more like a doctor having a group of patients to whom I can point out and say “these? they are MINE.”

  And of course at least half that panel is spanish speaking only as I am one of only 3 residents and apparently only 20 some odd physicians in my hospital who speak enough spanish to carry on a conversation in it. Which I find staggering, as I work in California where white people are actually a legitimate MINORITY now. (and yet still no affirmative action grants and loan forgiveness for us, go fig.)

  However, I like the added challenge of speaking with a patient in a foreign language. It turns even the most mundane visit (i need a refill of my blood pressure meds) into an exciting conversation and telenovela (PERO DOCTOR, NECESSITO LA MEDICINA POR MI CORAZON Y PRESION!).

  ——————————

  Speaking of Mi corazon, i am going to go off on a brief tangent here about Valentine’s day. I am not super anti holiday, but neither is this my favorite holiday as I tend to spend it alone for one reason or another. However, several friends and I have a singles tradition as it were whereby those of us unable to secure dates for the occasion will instead stop by hallmark, pick up a nice, generic card and then bring it with us…

  …to the local strip club. Where following several rounds of drinking and leering, we then each present a different exotic dancer with a valentines card to let them know that their hardworking efforts at putting themselves through school are appreciated by somebody.

  I like to think that we help to improve their day just a little bit, like hugging your garbageman or leaving a surprise cupcake in the mailbox for your postman…it’s all about catching people by surprise.

  Of course one friend who is new to this tradition called me up the other day to happily decry…”dude, I was in the grocery store walking past the card aisle for valentines and I started feeling all bummed that I didnt have a gf and then I remembered…strippers!”

  And just like that valentines day will never be a day of misery/frustration/longing for a certain subset of the population again.

  • 9:38 pm
  • 2 Comments