Insight into medicine Flashcards
What Are Some Of The Challenges You Could Expect To Face As A Doctor?
Medicine itself is challenging and can sometimes be overwhelming
Challenge:Emotional Demand
Explanation: When I was volunteering at the hospital, I was given some time to go and help in A&E, here I saw doctors having to work under time pressure, handling situations tactful when bad news had to be broken and at the same time be responsible for the physical and mental health for patients and families.
Reflection: Despite this, doctors had to remain composed and professional, as they are in a position of responsibility, and it is important to be able to turn to someone - support group - if overwhelmed.
Point 2 :
Challenge: Talking to a ICU doctor - difficulty balancing private and professional lives.
Explanation: Long working hours, training opportunities staying longer
Reflection: Requires time management, requires making sacrifices, need mutual agreement between you and apartment.
Conclusion:
There are many more experiences, but I am ready to face these challenges and am confident I will gain the necessary skillset throughout medical school to tackle them.
What Are The Most Important Qualities Of A Doctor?
Working collegially with people from different disciplines - important because medicine is a team sport and everyone has different specialties that can help to treat a patient. In addition - it is needed to involve the younger generation aswell with their innovation.
- Volunteering stroke ward - when paralysed the doctor does not treat this but rather the physiotherapist helps. The nurses are there to talk and continually ask questions to help with there cognitive memory.
Emotional intelligence - doctors must understand and manage their own emotions, and remember that different reactions occur with staff and patients depending on their experience - so to be able to understan and communicate convincingly and handle emotions respectfully.
When volunteering - the other person and I had different goals and ideologies, I was determined to reduce some burden off nurses and getting a feel of working in a ward, whilst she was here to speak to others of her culture as she understood language barrier is a problem amongst immigrants. But understanding each others goals to ensure volunteering at the ward is effective for the healthcare staff aswell.
Resilient - be able to work Long working hours, continously learn advances, be able to deal with a huge variety of stress factors - whilst protecting your own mental and physical health.
What Was The Greatest Medical Achievement In The Last 10-100 Years?
There has been numerous notable achievements
- Anaesthesia
William Morton in 1846 who showed that inhaled ether it could be used as a surgical anaesthetic ; relieve patients of suffering during interventions, provide comfort, good quality care.
Recent —
2. Vaccine development
Vaccines help end small pox pandemic (1967)
COVID-19 help ease restrictions, benefit the economy
- Robot assisted surgery - allows doctors to perform many types of complex procedures with more precision, flexibility and control than is possible with conventional techniques.
How does medicine now compare with 100 years ago? (pg 127)
Knowledge - less scientific knowledge. Doctors did not fully understand the mechanics and chemistry of human body; mainly attempted to treat symptoms
100 years ago there were mainly General Practioniers - not enough knowledge to have specialist doctors in many fields. Now over 60 specialities.
100 years ago the NHS did not exist, most care was provided for the rich (private basis), now since 1948 care is provided free to point of delivery
100 years ago treating symptoms, now much more on prevention and dealing with common diseases.
What Is Empathy And Why Is It So Important In Medicine?
Have you shown empathy?
Empathy - getting into the shoes of another person, trying to understand their perspective , thoughts, feelings, approach the problem from their point of view.
Advantage - better understanding of patients concerns and expectations
allows to adjust treatment options to individual, provide patient centred care
Experience: Volunterring at the hospital - discusses problems with me - I had to be non judgemental and view the situation from their perspective, when I aid her to a doctor the doctor offered substitute treatment - taking her religion into consideration.
Advantage - establishing an emotional connection between the patient and doctor. Understanding perspective ensuring patient feels understood. Higher trust.
If you had the choice between a GP, a surgeon or a physician which would you choose?
During my work experience, I was fortunate enough to meet a GP, cardiologist and a general surgeon
Saw similarities and differences to the approach to patient care
I had an attachment to GP, the competence, the fast problem solving abilities, the clear and decisive approach and dynamic treatments as well as treating so many patients a day from small to big - personal satisfaction
Having said that, I do recognise that I still have plenty to learn about the system and my time at medical school will give good opportunities to explore and reflect.
What Is holistic medicine?
holistic medicine means treating the patient as a whole - not just the physical aspect but taking into account social, pyschological and spiritual issues.
Patient is in hospital for a stroke, to ensure there mental health is alright. Asking what their lifestyle is like.. keeping them company at their low points and providing treatments at the same time.
Who should a doctor teacher?
As a doctor, you should teach the community around.
- medical students
- junior and senior doctors (I saw a consultant teach and help a senior doctor how to destress as it was coming to their final year exams).
- nurses
- patients (If they did not want a certain vaccine - talking through with them the positives and negative - providing better understanding before they make their final decision).
Do you know what its like to be a medical student?
Nobody can really say that they know what it is like to be a medical student if they have not been through medical school themselves; however having spoken to many people and read up on it I feel like I have a good idea of what is awaiting me.
- Medical school can be stressful - workload, exams and the big step from levels to uni, a lot of information to take on. We come from an environment where we are spoon fed hw – going into environment where we think for ourselves – requires resilience and personal skills.
Medical student – up to date knowledge , finding information and being able to work in a team –> my organisation and hard working skills are ready for this.
At the same time, having number of personal interests – enable me to deal with pressure and stress involved.
What type of research would you be interested in doing?
I have always been interested in researching global health and playing a role. I know that keele university is shifting towards this aswell. As a geography A-Level student –> been interested in the different health systems (NHS VS privitasiion )
Like all small pox was eradicated, the next close eradication is Polio - known cases are only known in 2 countries now (Pakistan and Afghanistan). So research different programmes that the WHO are doing to help with this, and potentially as Keele University – play an input
What did you learn from your work experience?
I have done work experience both at my local GP and hospital and I found that it showed me the diversity within medicine, each speciality requiring a different skillset.
At the hospital - I observed a busy team in the stroke ward, showed me the practical side of dealing with patient care. I also saw some multidisciplinary meetings , through this I gained a good insight into how doctors and other Health care professionals pull their expertise together for the good of patients and I nouns this enriching.
Communication and constantly showing empathy, reassuring them for doctor patient trust/relationship. How to overcome language barriers. I learnt that resistance and persistence pays off.
GP - Hollistic approach. Having to problem solve and each illness was dynamic and the right form of treatment was vital. I liked how treatment was treated holistically - physical, psychological and social needs.
In conclusion - it was eye opening and showed both the positive and challenging side of medicine - reinforced my decision.
