ACC 2 is over!!! *Dances with joy* No more reports, no more medication reviews and pain presentations and traveling back and forth to St. Margaret's/nursing home/whatever rehab/geriatric association. Ok... it's not that I hate geriatrics. I've never hated a rotation (with one exception, but that was more of hating a certain RMO from Hell than the rotation itself). Very grateful to have passed, though I wish I gave better answers for my viva. *Sigh* You reap what you sow I guess. Have to study more seriously from now on! Everyone in my batch is so matured and smart and hardworking, I can't get left behind!
Interesting triva: The 'phantom' bus stopI've always wondered why on earth is there a bus stop in the TQEH Geriatrics courtyard. It's exactly like the bus stops around Adelaide, complete with a stop number. It's surrounded by four walls for goodness sake, right in the middle of the garden. When we visited a nursing home we noticed that the ward for patients with dementia and/or psych issues also had a bus stop AND a post box in their courtyard. The lady in charge of the nursing home explained to us that when the patients with dementia wanna leave the hospital, they'd wanna take a bus right? And instead of restraining them or whatnot, let them go take the bus. Direct them to the 'bus stop' and have them comfortably sit there and wait. 'Cos they're confused and demented anyway they won't notice that the bus stop is in the garden... Eventually they'll get tired of waiting for the bus that will never come and return to their rooms. Or they'll forget what were they trying to do in the first place and go back inside. The person who thought of this trick is a sadistic, sneaky genius. :P
ACC 2 is kind of a mix of geriatrics + ICU + Anesthesia + Acute and Chronic Pain + General Practice. 6 weeks really isn't enough for everything so it's good that the current 4th years will be getting a longer ACC 2 rotation next year. My most memorable part of ACC 2 has to be my GP week. The GP I was posted with was fantastic. He was really friendly and experienced. I got to see him cut out a basal cell carcinoma from an old lady's nose! It's cool also 'cos that's the first time I saw a patient with a BCC. Since he has a special interest in psychiatry, I got to visit a hostel (like a place people with psych issues can stay at) and give them their anti-psychotic depot. Honestly I haven't done many IM injections, so I was glad to get some practice. I dunno why 99% of the psych patients I see are so dirty and smelly. I've come to associate that smell as the 'psych smell'. Not that I have anything against psych patients. Hmm but I guess if I was psychotic I wouldn't be thinking too much bout getting a shower... Like there was this guy whom I wanted to inject his butt, but there was this BLACK STAIN like SHIT on his right butt cheek. The patient (quite a nice guy la actually) adamantly insisted that he showered real well before he saw us. The GP was trying not to laugh also and just said "Well, you missed a spot." Heh. Luckily his left butt cheek was fine...
Some of the patients in the hostel had really interesting forensic histories... The most important thing I learnt from that visit was the importance of being non-judgmental. It's easier said than done, really. Especially when you discover the person you're treating killed his wife/raped his grand-daughter, you subconsciously 'label' that person. It worked well for me to keep my rapport warm but superficial. Don't know how I would fare if I had to treat that patient for the next 20 years.
Anyhow seeing this GP truly caring for his patients and not just treating them for the sake of getting cash was inspiring. Over the years in med school, I've met a few outstanding doctors who actually do love their patients. They listen, empathize and graciously take students under their wing. It felt heart-warming and reminded me of why I chose this profession. I want to be that kind of doctor. The early years of my career will be full of frustration and no doubt corrode my 'armor of idealism'. But I hope I won't forget the important things in medicine: to put your heart into every patient you meet and to listen and learn, for a patient isn't a disease but a person.
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