My last few weeks in the hospital have been such a great learning experience. In many ways the hospital is what I expected; however, I have also learned a lot. I have been exposed to some of the realities of medicine which has taught me some great lessons that I can apply to my pursuit of becoming a physician.
The exposure to the operating room has been such an amazing experience. Dr. Sher and his team have been so helpful during this process. Not only are they all so knowledgeable, but they always stop to teach me things when they have time. Dr. Sher is a great teacher, and will often quiz me to keep me on my toes and facilitate learning. I admire his work ethic and positive spirit in this really tough field.
Medicine has some harsh realities; however, I am glad that I could have this experience. Last week, I went to an M&M (Mortality and Morbidity) conference which I found really fascinating. The purpose of this conference was to identify adverse outcomes and complications in various cases. The presenting resident discussed the specific case and if any different steps should have been taken. In medicine sometimes things do not go as planned even if no mistakes are made. It was really interesting to see this side of medicine especially because it does not get much attention.
In the operating room with Dr. Sher, I have learned so much about the art of surgery. Surgery is really a team effort with every person in the room playing an important role. I have seen that the communication between the physicians, physician assistants and nurses is key to a successful operation. I cannot wait to learn even more with Dr. Sher as I continue this amazing experience. I am really grateful for everyone who has made this experience possible.