Another day of learning

Today was chock full of new knowledge. Not the medical type, but the useful type that will help me be a better doctor type.

I did another one of those "shadow a specialist" things today. I am not going to tell you what specialty it was; mostly because there really aren't that many in this area so it would be too easy to pinpoint who I am talking about.

Hmmm, how is that for a build-up for a post that has a bunch of not nice things to say?

I am actually pretty conflicted about the doctor that I saw today. I know that I don't want to do his specialty. I am learning that I really need some kind of specialty that allows me to do in-patient care. I really like that aspect of medicine.

On one hand, the patients seemed to like the doctor. Two of the patients actually felt comfortable enough around him and I to start crying. (Yeah, some people would find that odd but think about that the next time you visit your doctor. Would you feel comfortable enough to cry?) Patients also told me that they really liked him. Those two points really impressed me.

On the other hand, get him into his office, and you see a different side. He complained about DOs, bragged about his MCAT score (that was a while ago), told me (and reiterated) that he was "competent" at what he did, and is a drug-rep doctor. He also gave me some "advice" that he learned from a family doctor (a doctor that even he said was bad), "Follow the 3 A's: availability, affability, and ability; in that order."

Oi.

He just confirmed the "thing" that I didn't want to be! I don't want to be "affable" but stupid.

I also learned that this area really needs doctors. I am surprised. I would think that being this close to the state capital would mean something, but apparently that is wrong. It really makes me think about why I took this path. I have always wanted to help where it was needed, right? But, when I left Shores, I swore off anything that reminded me of a small town. Could I deal with a place like this again (not Shores, never Shores)? I know that Mike wouldn't mind.

But then again... I like being in Seattle. I like going somewhere at 11:00pm knowing that it will be open that late.

Argh!

All of these damn decisions!