Year 2 ended with my classmates and I studying for the licensing exams at the end of the academic year. Then, that season was over and we got to see each other again for a pinning ceremong to signify that we were going to be in a more active, participatory role on the clinical team. We all left to our respective clinical sites and spent the last few months learning medicine by caring for patients, studying for exams, and writing so many clinical encounter notes. Somehow this week I just had time to reflect on how far we have come. Now is the time to start applying for fourth year clinical rotations and considering what we actually want to do when we "grow up" into real doctors next year.
In third year, we are working along with the residents and attending physicians to diagnose and treat our patients. They give us responsibility to care for specific patients and follow them in their hospital journey. We even get to assist with surgical procedures and deliver babies! In the outpatient setting, I get to work with patients through our community medicine outreach as well as in clinic. We focus on preventative care and understanding our patient's unique situation which translates to their health outcomes.
I also enjoy the moments in between rotations to remain grounded. This academic year, I have made it my goal that I will explore during the weekend after the shelf exam/before the new rotation begins. This means that I get two days where I take a little break, go hiking, and spend time with friends. So far, I have visited San Francisco and gone down the coast of California, Channel Islands, Yosemite, and Joshua Tree.
There is always going to be another challenge and another exam along the way, but endurance is crucial and possibly the most important thing we learn in this journey.
A friend of mine has reminded me so well that exams are not ideal and they can cause anxiety, but this is the easy part of this path. When we have real patients who depend on us to make life-altering decisions, that will be the real challenge that we will have to sleep with at night. Did we make the right diagnosis? Did I share the information in a way that they can make informed decisions? Did I make the right choice doing x,y, or z for this patient? When you have a life at hand, the stakes are even higher than these exams that we face. Instead of the multiple choice questions, we have a person in front of us. This person has a life too and possibly a career, a family, friends and hobbies. I want to do everything possible to give them the best quality of their life.
I want to go into this latter half of Year 3 reminded of the difference that we can make in our communities and in the lives of those around us. Even if you aren't in medicine, you can still impact others by the way you interact with them. So try everyday to make a difference and better someone else through your actions. This will go a long way. <3
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