There it was lying in front of me—a cadaver, completely discolored, with a face as white as snow, but with perfectly manicured nails and dignity in how she was treated by the medical students. At Rush Medical College, I had the privilege to enter the anatomy lab and witness the hands-on experience of dissecting a cadaver and how the medical students upheld the dignity of cadavers by keeping them covered and having moments of silence before their first incisions. This delicate and beautiful balance between science and ethics is what permeates healthcare: the dichotomy between treating patients and respecting their wishes. Through the UCIHP Medical Schools Trek, I got a flavor of this delicate balance as I interacted with students and faculty from the Pritzker School of Medicine, Rush Medical College, and the Stritch School of Medicine. Attending the trek has also educated me about the nuances of the medical school admissions process and how medical schools differ from one another in their approaches to the medical curriculum.
At Pritzker, I learned about how medical students are trained to interact in clinical settings from their first
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Rush has a different patient population from Pritzker due to the different location of its clinical facilities, the Rush University Medical Center and the John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County, which appeal to people in the Chicagoland area. One of the aspects I enjoy about Rush is the elective option in its curriculum, where students can take diverse courses, such as dance and Spanish, to pursue and relate their passions to clinical and scientific approaches to medicine, i.e. using dance to understand bodily movements. At Rush Medical College, the students were engaged in different clinical initiatives and appreciated the school’s emphasis on community
Zuger’s point-by-point organization emphasizes the difference between one medical student with older traditional values, and another medical student who embodies the modern hospital standards. The traditional student is unorganized, stays late, does everything for herself, but truly cares for the patients and their families. On the other side, the modern student is clean and organized, does only what his job describes, works only his hours and nothing more. He works as a team with the rest of the staff, but he doesn’t truly care for the patients. Modern medicine has made leaps and bounds in the field of keeping people alive, but true care of a doctor also helps the patient and their family.
The 4+4 program at Hofstra caught my interest after I researched its medical school, the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. Northwell comprises some of the most renowned hospitals in the New York area, from the Long Island Jewish Medical Center to Lenox Hill Hospital. Aside from being partnered with such a prestigious institution, the Zucker School of Medicine’s progressive, “case based” curriculum is what intrigued me the most. Few medical schools offer to train its students for the 21st century, and this hands on approach seems like the best method to expose students from our generation to the ever changing field of healthcare. From working in groups to solve weekly cases to using real world patient cases to explain concepts, I feel as if the Zucker School of Medicine offers an optimal experience for its students to succeed in their fields.
Braddok III Clarence H. MD MPH .” Physician aid-in-dying: Ethical topics in medicine” n.d University of Washington school of medicinestate death with dignity act” N.p n.d University of Washington department of bioethics and humanities 2009 web 24 March 2012
Reich, Warren T. “The Care-Based Ethic of Nazi Medicine and the Moral Importance of What We Care About”. American Journal of Bioethics 1.1 (2001): 64-74. Academic Search Complete. Web. 17 Oct. 2013.
The PA program at MCPHS in Boston is located perfectly next to some of the best healthcare institutions in the country such as Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Boston Children’s Hospital. It is a sanctuary for students looking to get involved in healthcare. Aspiring PA students such as myself, hoping to gain valuable healthcare experience can expect to do so through these renowned facilities. The location of the school makes it easier for us to be involved in the local medical community through employment, clinical rotations, or even simpler, volunteering. In addition to being surrounded by some of the best healthcare institutions, MCPHS Boston is nearby a multitude of attractions. It is a 15-minute walk to Fenway Park in case I ever want
Similar to planning a career in medicine, the dance has a beginning. It starts with an idea of what the final creation will be. The music, which is the background for the dance, must be chosen carefully because it controls the mood and direction of the dance. Education is the music for the dance of a doctor. For this reason I chose to attend Xavier University of Louisiana because I felt it would provide me with the right music to guide my movements. Attending Xavier has helped keep me on the path to my goals by providing support, guidance, and opportunities to learn and grow. With this foundation I am prepared for the rigors of medical school and the challenges of adjusting to new people, situations, and responsibilities.
While the majority of the book critiques the healthcare system, Chapter 13 focuses more on key actions and personality traits that help Dr. Stone relate to patients. Although this noteworthy, compassionate physician attempts to develop an understanding of his patients’ values and goals, he still fails Mrs. Jackson by trying to retain cultural competency by tiptoeing around end-of-life decisions. Conversations about feeding tube placement and DNR orders could have minimized Mrs. Jackson’s unnecessary
“Go on, dive in. You’ll have to do some digging... she’s big heifer”. Such was one of my earliest forays into surgical medicine. As a student new to the clinical environment, I was somewhat surprised by the pervasiveness of derogatory slang used to describe patients, and I questioned how I wanted to interact with those around me - be they doctors, patients or students. Reading around this topic led to an excerpt by Komesaroff (2008) in which he presents his theory of micro ethics. Addressing the disparity between traditional bioethical teachings and the realities of clinical practice, he ultimately emphasises the importance of the smallest of ethical decisions in patient care - be it facial expression, tone of questioning or the often inconspicuous acts of trust.
Question Quote "I doubt that these experiences are unique to the hospitals or the medical school at which I have thus far trained. I expect that they pervade health care systems throughout the country. I give credit to my medical school for teaching me to be critical of the culture of medicine, apply interdisciplinary perspectives to clinical quandaries, and reflect on my experiences." (Brooks KC. 2015.)
The summer after my freshman year in college, I went back to Honduras to volunteer with the children who had leukemia at the National Public Hospital. I have never been as intimidated as my first day, when I followed the attending oncologist, while he was showing me the pediatric unit. He also explained my duties, which were attending and playing with the children. When I was left to start my job, I felt almost as nuisance in the midst of that hectic hospital room. Unsure on how to approach the patients, I looked around and found a tender smiling face. Although I was nervous, the warmth of his expression gave me the confidence to walk towards his bed. After a long and pleasant talk, I learned that Diego was from a remote rural town, and that his father visited him three days a week because he had to work to support his family. Diego suffered from a severe form of leukemia and had been hospitalized for nine months. Due to his poor health, he was unable to walk or even sit up in his bed. Hence, he developed atrophy in his legs causing them to lose strength and mobility. Yet with a huge sparkle in his eyes, Diego shared with me his dreams of becoming a great soccer player. As I turned away to retrieve the board games that he requested, I was moved by his courage to dream despite the hardships he was enduring at such a young age. This encounter was the beginning of an important turning point in my life. What initially began as a job became a real duty for me. I felt compelled and obligated to the children whom I interacted with, gaining satisfaction in doing so. At first, it seemed I was doing them a favor but rather it was the children that made an impact in my life. After I left Diego’s bedside that day, I was heartbroken to see h...
Presently, my extracurricular and academic interests are combined in my two year Health Science class. The class provides real-life medical situations that I may come in contact with in the future. Like any health science class, we study the body, in both its’ functional and dysfunctional state. This survey class also includes an introduction to equipment, medical protocol, and ethical issues. A sense of teamwork guides our procedures. Next semester, I will study at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Ramstein High School’s Career Practicum program. After initial on-the-job application of classroom learning, we will work with patients, supervised by the hospital staff. Living so close to a hospital that services thousands of seriously injured patients every year provides opportunities that other students lack, even in their college programs.
Shadowing in autopsies satisfied my early high school curiosity in that I was able to understand the anatomy of the human body. Knowing the appearance of a normal organ helped me to recognize when an organ was abnormal whether that was through weight or appearance. I have learned that the human body encapsulates teachable knowledge and evidence that leads to the diagnosing of disease and corresponding treatment. My time spent shadowing in autopsies confirmed my interest in learning more about the field of medicine and the doctor’s role in direct patient care. I have shadowed Dr. Simmons, a cardiology specialist and Dr. Fitzhugh at the NIH sickle cell department. In cardiology, I witnessed the physician’s role in patient education regarding
Cooperative students will become future leaders in the initiation of faculty development. They will demonstrate ideas and alertness of the encounters that may occur. Quality development of safety and communication among the staff and patients are improved when staff members have a supportive relationship with their clinical partners. Good communication will lessen errors in the system.
I shadowed a primary care physician (PCP), a cardiologist, and a General surgeon in Little Rock. I was introduced to triaging, monitoring patient diets, and transitioning from diagnosis to treatment. These experiences exposed me to some of the immense responsibilities of doctors. Through my experience shadowing Dr. Richard Jackson, I learned the necessity of compassion in a physician and that it is as important as medical procedures. I observed him putting a colostomy bag on a seven-year-old girl diagnosed with colon cancer. When she recovered from surgery, he noticed she was sad and scared about the colostomy bag. He comforted her by telling stories of many other children who also had colostomy bags at a young age and finished his conversation by making funny faces at her. This made her happy and her smile expressed joy and the beauty of being alive. It taught me that a patient’s emotional health is as important as their physical health, and both factors need to be considered when providing care. This shadowing experience enabled me to see what it is like to be as a practicing physician and further reinforced my desire to be a
Knowledge is continuously derived and analyzed from the experience of learners validating the truism that experience is the best teacher (Kolb, 1984). The aim of this module was to assist international students improve their communication skills which is key to a successful medical practice. This essay examines my journey through the module, sums up my experience and highlights its relevance to my career.