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Which area of medicine are you interested in?

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Reply 40

Asclepius

AEH

I started at Barts thinking "Never ever surgery", didn't think I could do it, didn't think I'd want to do it. My reserve was broken down on a General Surgery firm last summer, then I had my O&G rotation in Sept, approached it as fun but not a career and it totally blew my tiny brain. I've heard similar experiences from SHOs going into new specialties and even regs who've changed specialties. Wouldn't put myself past it happening again, although at the moment I'm moving toward O&G.

I obviously haven't had any clinical experience, but as far as the subject matter goes I find O&G really interesting, and probably one of my favourite bits so far. Things like this worry me though.

Reply 41

*Stargirl*

i work on an all-female ward and many of my elderly patients express concern about being seen by male visitors when they arent looking their best or are in a bit of a kerfuffle. If a female patient feels uncomfortable with a male doctor then she has every right to ask for a female one instead. I wouldnt want any of my female patients to have to accept a male doctor if they didnt want one, as I know theyd get very upset, being elderly.

Reply 42

*Stargirl*

well, although it would be more helpfull if once someone became a doctor they could be viewed as a separate species to "normal" men and women...fact is they're still the same as anyone else, and for the same reasons that we have seperate public toilets and enjoy privacy from the opposite sex, that still might happen between patients and a doctor on rare occasions e.g elderly female patient with a gynae problem. also, maybe "in the old days" there were stricter rules about whats sophisticated in regards to men and women sharing the same room or toilets or whatever...maybe in the future it will be less of a problem

Reply 43

AEH

Erm...yes. Are you saying something about men being allowed to be gynaecologists? Its a complicated thing, I've never had any problems seeing patients but then I'm a very odd person. Out of curiosity, what capacity do you work on an all-female ward? Because I've found it can be surprisingly easy to be asexual as a doctor, it comes naturally of seeing a dozen different sets of genitals before lunch, and once you start behaving in that way, people can quickly come to see you like that as well. Plus the whole confidence thing, I've sat down with a husband and wife and talked about their sex problems for an hour and I've taken a history from a Somalian woman who had her genitals mutilated by her own mother without too much problem (Not flawless though by any means). Its just being confident of your own position, keeping things grounded and letting the patient take things to the place and at the pace that's comfortable with them.

Reply 44

Asclepius

AEH

For future reference, what advice can you give on making a female pt feel comfortable with a male student being present during an intimate examination?

Reply 45

*Stargirl*

i read somewhere...oh yeah it was the website of peninsula medical school, that experienced doctors actually think differently when approaching a patient to inexperienced doctors, so its just something you learn with experience.
and my last post was in response to a post above mine which seems to have..vanished?

oh and Alex, if by capacity you meant my job, then the answer's health care assistant. albeit a very inquisitive one!

Reply 46

AEH

That's fair enough, I wasn't trying to be all "I'm the doctor and I know what I'm talking about", just trying to see where you're coming from. The doctor-patient relationship is always going to be unique in its formality and barriers compared to any other health professional. The best way I can think of describing the nursing relationship, as I see it, is as co-conspirator with the patient so you pick up those details of an all-female ward that most doctors won't. But to me, the great thing about the doctor relationship is that you can create a space that seems oddly detached from the rest of reality where people can talk about periods and sex and pooing blood and impotence and whatever else without any judgment or barriers. And I really think that, underneath most people's understandable squeamishness, patients want to abandon words like "Bowel movement" and talk in plain English about whatever's bothering them.

Sorry, does it show I'm on my Psych rotation?

Reply 47

No Future

Alex D

Bowel-ey stuff is cool :yep:

As for surgery and medicine mix, how about obs and gynae? :dontknow:

If you say so! :P

Yeah O&G, uro, opth...maybe..? :smile:

Wait and see I guess.

Reply 48

No Future

Dr.Hox

I work in Orthopaedic Theatres as a Theatre Assistant, and yes, hips and knees are very interesting the first few times you watch them. The magic does wear off after a while especially when you look at a list and it contains 4 total hips or knees and you realise that this is ALL that this surgeon ever does.

Indeed, though hand surgery is always good to watch IMHO.

Ask sister if you can work in non ortho theatres - more fun, he he.

Reply 49

RichardIrvings

Pau

how is it not interesting? (like i said i'm not even planning to study medicine, btu still)

Nerves, pain thresholds, sodium channels, drug mechanisms and nerve pathways are dull as crap.

Reply 50

Dr.Hox

No Future

Indeed, though hand surgery is always good to watch IMHO.

Ask sister if you can work in non ortho theatres - more fun, he he.

Our cardiac & thoracis theatres are brilliant but the HCAs role in there is very minimal. Basically jus cleaning. General surgery here is unbelievably boring. Since Glenfield (where I work) specialises in breast care, all we see are breast surgeries and hernias in general.

Ortho FTW!