Have definitely found that elusive Thing I Am Good At. They gave me a kickass primary care preceptorship in West Buffalo where I take all my histories in Spanish. My preceptor is a totally nice guy and loves to converse about the field and teach me new skills. And I volunteer doing more of the same at the Refugee Health Clinic for newly arrived asylee families from all over the world.
So if you’re passing through Buffalo and a nice young man offers to hurt you really bad with his blood pressure cuff, say hi-- it’s me!
Matt, my afternoons with a primary care preceptor seemed unerringly timed to lift my spirits just when I would think that going to medical school had been a Very Bad Idea. Without question, about the time I’d be soooo discouraged about biochem, anatomy, micro, biochem, neurobio, biochem… (yeah I almost flunked biochem)… I’d have an afternoon to go see patients and would be completely rejuvenated: Oh Yeah! This is what I want to do! and all of a sudden all the other boring stuff would be worth it.
If I were in Buffalo you could definitely take my BP 
Mary
I agree, patient contact is the cure for what academically ails (or depresses you), and Matt, if you’re ever in Milwaukee, you may come and squoosh my arm.
How amazing is this? (I have changed a couple of details to make pt unrecognizable.)
I had a patient yesterday who is 35, just my age, and has lived in various refugee camps in Honduras since his village was destroyed by war in 1984. 23 years! He was a teen as a refugee in a camp, was educated as a refugee in a camp, started a profession as a refugee in a camp, and married and fathered two healthy, cute kids, as a refugee in a camp. FINALLY, he has gotten asylum and a permanent placement here in Buffalo. And you have never meet a happier, more cheerful family, not resentful, not self-pitying, just really positive. Next time, you think you have problems… it’s very humbling!
Matt, if you have any interest in EM, I advise you to sign up for Dr. Spurgeon’s EM class that you can take during MS2. Great early exposure to EM, which my school did not allow until formal MS4 rotations.
- Tae
- MattFugazi Said:
I had a patient yesterday who is 35, just my age, and has lived in various refugee camps in Honduras since his village was destroyed by war in **1984**. 23 years! He was a teen as a refugee in a camp, was educated as a refugee in a camp, started a profession as a refugee in a camp, and married and fathered two healthy, cute kids, as a refugee in a camp. FINALLY, he has gotten asylum and a permanent placement here in Buffalo. And you have never meet a happier, more cheerful family, not resentful, not self-pitying, just really positive. Next time, you think you have problems.... it's very humbling!
If I may suggest, hang onto this memory for future use. There will be times during this process where you have the tendancy, if not the right, to feel pretty down in the mouth, discouraged or even bleak - a whole lot of wondering if you did the right thing & self-pity to wallow in. While you certainly will have earned the right to wallow in the mire, do not dwell there. And, your memories of this family who has truly overcome circumstances serveral orders of magnitude more dire than your own can & will serve as a way to keep your perspective honest & correctly prioritized.
For me, I used my many memories of critically ill children I had cared for when I was a resp therapist. No matter how shitty my circumstances were, it never even began to compare to the plight of those children or their families.
Let this person's success bolster your own. I would imagine that this guy would be most greatful to have been able to supply you with this motivation & uplift.