This past week has been spent learning the ropes of a local orthopedic surgery practice. To say that we have been busy is an understatement. We have had over seventy patients in the office (on the three days that we saw patients in the office) and have performed twelve surgeries. It has been a whirlwind and I have tried my hardest to keep up. Whether or not I have done that well is up in the air. Regardless, I have enjoyed the ride.
We began on Monday in the clinic doing some pre-op and follow-up appointments. We had a few new patients, so in all it was a well-rounded day. On Tuesday it was all OR - seven cases in total. And we began the day with a procedure I had never seen before - a total knee replacement. It was an eye opening day and I was reminded of how much I enjoyed the OR during general surgery some months ago. More clinic and surgery on Wednesday, then Thursday just clinic. Friday was another day of surgery in which we performed a meniscus transplant. What an experience! The surgeon took a piece of donor meniscus (knee cartilage) and sewed it into a patient whose knee cartilage was pretty much plum worn out.
The emotional ride has been a little less extreme, but I am still humbled by all that I am doing now as a student. The job that we have as medical providers is, in a word, huge. I am enjoying learning that job and I am truly awestruck by the extent of what we need to know and be able to do. At this moment, I feel very tiny in the world of medicine - as if I am too small to be able to do my job. Yet in eight short months (ok - seven and a half, but who's counting?) I will need to be a functional part of this system. I know I will get there, but it still seems so far away.
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