On Monday I started the fellowship, yay! I am teaching on campus for 3.5 months as a little interruption in my rotations. On Monday it was over 100 degrees and in our lab…it was 80. That just happened to be the day we were palpating landmarks (the acromian process, the pubic symphysis, the sacral sulcii etc…) this means…it gets very awkward for the partners around the room that have known each other for basically 5 minutes (it’s week 2 of actual classes for the first years). There are hands palpating bums and pelvises and a lot of nervous people. Nervous people = sweat. Sweat in an 80 degree room = awkward sweaty tables and even more awkward people.
Aside from the sweat 🙂 it was awesome. I love teaching. I love learning from students. and I love OMM, so I’m very happy to be where I’m at with the fellowship!
Beyond that, however, I miss my patients. I know some of my classmates that have taken over my spot and will be following my patients…I so badly want to call and check in with them! It’s not REALLLLY necessary, haha, so I think that’s a little inappropriate, but none the less would put my mind at ease.
One of our faculty members sent out an email this past week, in it she said,
“Take it one day at a time, one patient at a time. Doctors are formed slowly under great pressure.
The real sacrifice is not the long hours, but the choice to witness another person’s suffering and bear it with them.
You are all capable of greatness, but more importantly you are capable of goodness.
I’m thinking of you and proud of you.”
Can you think of a greater thing to get in an email after one of your patients passes away!? I love this professor, she always makes a point to help support us where we are at.
With the fellowship I have more time. I don’t have night’s, call, or swing shifts where my hours are odd and ungodly. I’m working a 9-5…what?! 9-5 in medical school…I didn’t think it was possible! Monday I had dinner w the husband and watched a movie and last night I caught up w a friend over a night walk with the pooch…slowly equilibrating back into normalcy.
I can’t deny there is a bit of stress surrounding the decision to leave rotations to teach for a bit. This means my classmates are moving forward while I’m staying stationary…and even moving a little behind as I forget some of the nuances of the hospital and patient care in my months of teaching. I’m sure it will all come back to me soon enough when I’m back in the grind at the clinic or hospital, but there is a little fear that it won’t.
For now, goodbye zombie Shannon in the hospital:
Hello relaxed summertime Shannon + pooch
Teaching is hard work, but the hours are MUCH better.