I am so excited to start shadowing Dr. Marc Sher at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New Hyde Park. Dr. Sher is a colon and rectal surgeon at the hospital, seeing patients in the clinic and performing operations. I would love to learn more about Dr.Sher’s daily routine and responsibilities. Furthermore, any exposure to patient and doctor interactions will be very valuable. One of my main goals is learning more about the physician’s role in the healthcare system.
This past summer, I volunteered at another hospital where I worked on a telemetry floor. My primary responsibility was answering call bells for the patients and doing paperwork. This position gave me a unique insight into working in a medical setting. Nevertheless, this experience taught me that it takes many people to keep a hospital running smoothly. The opportunity to shadow Dr. Sher should provide me with a great perspective on the role of a doctor, specifically a surgeon. Although my past experience helped me affirm my passion for medicine, it lacked direct physician contact. I am looking forward to the opportunity to be able to observe the daily routine of a physician. I have learned throughout my past experiences that some of the best lessons can be gained through colloquial conversation. I would love to learn why certain physicians went into their respective fields. I think that being able to better put a face to the work life of a physician would help me solidify my decision to become a doctor. It will also help motivate me even further to achieve my goals.
Lastly, I hope I can observe all of the communication and teamwork that goes into each operation and outcome. I wonder though how the team works together when they are faced with challenges. How often do things not go as planned in their operating room? Also, if things do not go as planned how do the physicians and other medical staff work together to solve the problem? Once again, this is such an amazing opportunity and I am really looking forward to it!