I get that very frequently during working ward rounds. By that, I don't mean the hospital staff I've encountered are a bunch of nasties. On the contrary, I found them all highly professional. If I were to blame it on something, I'd say time-constraints....the day usually begins with radiology/pathology sessions, followed by a quick consultant ward round (which is at lightning speed on many occasions). A grand-round may follow suit, before doctors start "running off" to their clinic sessions.
Since everyone is so pressed for time, it doesn't surprise me when medics don't get taught much during those rounds. That is to be expected, more so when it is a busy morning.
My discomfort tends to escalate even further when I'm the only medical student on board a "tight-ship of six" health professionals (make it to at least TWELVE people when it turns into a multidisciplinary ward-round). One may think I'm too self-conscious, but I somehow felt small and inferior in their presence. I can do nought but to stand at the side, trying to comprehend whatever that was being said before me.
(On a side-note, I am technically the smallest in the group already since I'm SO VERTICALLY CHALLENGED. Would you believe me if I said that wedges/heels didn't help much under such circumstances, given the fact that almost everyone in RMH towers over me? T_T)
"Well, you said at the beginning that it's to be expected.....and since you're there mainly to observe and listen, so just sit back and chill out!!!" you may say.
The problem is....
See, sometimes it is difficult to listen to everything they say. There are occasions where consults were done in a "hushed" manner, especially when a patient's outcome is grim (you wouldn't want EVERYONE in the ward to know what was going on now, would you?). On the other side of the spectrum however, when things are going according to plan, the consults would be so darn quick that I wouldn't know what has been said, and what is going to be done! Top that off with "high-end" discussions on the latest diagnostic criteria/management options (which means loads of medical jargon where we mere medics could barely grasp with our current level of medical knowledge) and a myriad of accents (Aussie/Brit, Italian, Greek, Vietnamese, Croatian....) and *voila!* - a discussion I shall never comprehend.
"You could at least ASK SOME QUESTIONS, you ignorant fool!!!" one may quipped. Yes, I could (and I do on occasions where appropriate), but tell me.....if you didn't get what was being said in (almost) every consult, would you dare to ask them to REPEAT for you after every SINGLE discussion? For all I know, they are already so pressed for time (so have some discretion, mate!) That may be the reason why I want another medical student to be with me - so I could fall back and ask if he/she understood what has been said. Even if he/she does not....well, at least I know for sure that I was not the only one being "left out"! =P
Were it not for the Endocrine resident and registrar, David Kok and Chris Yates, who had been so kind to fill me in with the details whenever they can (even when I did not ask!), I wouldn't have wanted to attend them anymore.
So I thank you both, for trying to make me feel as comfortable as possible. ^^
Labels: Medicine/Hospitals/Medics, Random thoughts
