Monday, April 15, 2013
Scaring Third Year Med Students...
On Thursday, at the request of my doc, I participated in an exam for third year med students. It wasn't the traditional pen and paper variety, but one in which each student interviewed a patient alleging shoulder patient who was also a wheelchair user. The point was to get the students thinking about patients with disabilities and how such a situation would impact a wheelchair user and the patient's concern about the possibility of becoming further disabled. Additionally, students were expected to include this "patient" in any course of treatment and to come up with a plan that would work for the patient. Students were not supposed to simply suggest a power chair and leave it at that, particularly given the expense, the hoops one must go through regarding insurance and the fact that, for some people, a power chair will not fit in their existing homes.
Many of the students had never before confronted such a scenario and it was quite interesting to observe the differences in their responses. I spent about five hours with them and my doctor, who was observing each encounter. Afterward, she critiqued each student as did I. The experience was eye-opening for the students as well as for me. There were two stand outs among these students. They were enthusiastic, but considered in their responses and came up with ideas the others did not. This training gives me hope for at least some of the future docs in this world. It also points out how much the average doctor does not know about patients and our everyday lives. I give my doctor, her colleagues and these students a lot of credit for endeavoring to learn, ask tough questions and create greater awareness regarding her patients with disabilities.
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7 comments:
It's good that medical students have to think about how they respond to a patient with a disability - and presumably to other non-typical medical situations. And as you say to be aware that an obvious solution is not necessarily the best solution but may only cause new problems.
I read your post with great interest, not just for its content but also for its delightful serendipity. As I read your post - and as I write this - my son Alexander will be waiting to enter his final Med School exams, the one today being where they are presented with real patients and have to make a diagnosis. It is a large scale affair (there are some 230 med students in his year) but in a few moments he too will be confronted by real patients and attempting to find real solutions to their problems. I hope he finds as perceptive and helpful patient volunteers as you yourself obviously were.
You surely contributed to their education as humans as well as doctors. I had a good friend with MS, although wheelchair bound she lived independently. When she was sick and had to go to the Emergency Room, I found it a big problem getting the staff to listen when I told them that her presenting condition was not her base-line normal. Assumptions were being made that I had to fight to dispel. (We're talking Stanford University Hospital here. They should be better than that.)
Having a rare disease my husband has been presented to an endless series of medical students....and after the first few times of having a specialist explain the symptoms and what not he decided to tell them what it was like...not the attacks, treatment and consequences, but the feeling of sheer helplessness when an attack was underway...the need to have staff make sure he was eating - with paralysed hands - once out of intensive care....the problems of walking after an attack.
Few were interested...to them he was a case, not a person...but the few who were interested came up with suggestions which he really appreciated.
This sounds like a terrific exercise. I have long had a dream to start a program in medical schools where students and, later, residents, participate in week-long shadow exercises where they hang with a family whose child has epilepsy and see what REALLY goes on.
Bravo for participating in this workshop, e. Sounds like it was beneficial for the students and taught some valuable lessons.
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