Greatest Moments in Medical Training Anyone???

[PrincessFiona]

I thought this might be a fun topic! With the next PGY about to start, it might be good to recall some of the happier moments

kris

[Rapunzel]

Hmmm, no great moments so far. A good thing that happened was my husband's program gave him the week of Christmas off. We've been through two years of residency and haven't even reached the halfway point, though, so maybe things will improve? Crossing my fingers.

In the past year there have been several times that DW has been in the spotlight....

She was doing cardiology, expecting to hate it, and she caught a serious problem in a 3 month old baby. The baby went in the next day for a serious heart surgery and has since recovered to full health. We have gotten updates, through the hospital sent directly to her about how the little one is doing. Makes all the other "bad" days drift away for a little bit.

In the NICU, she watched over a 27weeker, and really did all that she could. Unfortunately, the baby didn't make it out of the hospital, but the family has sent letters to the hospital with glowing words for DW. She really makes it her duty to be a physician to her patient, but to also connect with the parents. Maybe not the happiest moment, but a defining one for sure.

[mommax3]

When my husband was a brand-new intern, (a month or two after he started) he found a prolapsed cord as he tried to check a laboring woman's cervix. He remembered (although he was scared to death) that he needed to not move his hand because if the baby's head compressed the cord, it would be bad news. So he calmly (on the outside, at least! ) asked the lady to ring for the nurse, and he ended up riding to the delivery room on the gurney with her, between her legs, with his hand you-know-where, until that baby was delivered by c-section. The baby, thank goodness, was fine. He got major kudos for that one, especially because an upper-level resident had freaked and run from the room to get help upon discovering the same thing a few months earlier.

Another cool thing was when he was able to go on a military humanitarian mission to Nicaragua during residency. The county was devastated by a hurricane a few years ago, and two years later (at the time of the mission) basic services had not been re-established, even in cities. The team that he went with set up shop in schools and patients were lined up for literally miles everywhere they went. He really felt like he was doing good and helping people that wouldn't have gotten help if he hadn't been there.

Now that he is done training, we are accosted everywhere we go by women that I have never seen before telling me how great my husband is. One woman kept hugging me -- I know she really wanted to hug him, but didn't think it was appropriate. A friend of ours from church recently delivered, stark naked, screaming "Travis, (my DH) get it out" repeatedly after denying an epidural, and is now telling all of the people at church how awesome he is. It is a strange feeling at times to realize that my husband has been with these people (mostly strangers) at a very powerful and intimate time in their lives -- and most of the time, he doesn't remember their names after, or even if they had boys or girls -- but he obviously does a good job for them, which makes me proud. Sorry that wasn't a training story, but DH's program was so big that he usually never saw a patient more than once, so he rarely got feedback from the patients.

Sally

[SueC]

My husband was awarded "Top Doc of the Year" this year! He and the others that were awarded had their picutres hanging in the hospital (He was one of four or so residents selected out of at least a couple hundred). He really "down-played" the whole thing but I'm really proud of him! We happy-houred with a bunch of the nurses in the ICU shortly after that and they were all telling me what a great doctor he is.
This one is more general but after four years of residency where my husband was pretty unhappy and entertaining the idea of leaving medicine altogether, he started a fellowship that he loves and is excited about! It's nice to see him come home feeling good about what he is doing! It makes it all seem worth it!

I guess the happier moments are the proud moments like when DH got "Intern of the year" and was named as chief resident for two years straight, something unheard of for a junior to be chief over seniors. Everytime I met one of his attendings they all gushed over him. While all that was great back then, they have created a "monster" in that now he thinks his poop don't stink and that everyone loves him so much. Did I mention that we had to widen our doorways so his head could get in the house?

Aside from all of that I am very proud of how I raised him.

Trisha

[Meenah]

Trisha,
That is so funny and so true. I enjoyed all of the stories.
Luanne

[Rapunzel]

OK, we finally had a great moment in my husband's residency. He had his first year evaluation yesterday with the program director who informed him that he was deemed "Excellent" in every area he rotated through. This program director then went on to tell my husband that he considered him within the top 10% of radiology residents in the nation and then they talked about how important his family life was (with the program director being adamant that his family had to be happy in order for him to do his best 8O ). This was a big deal for my husband (who still doubts himself considerably) to hear from a Harvard program director who he deeply respects. So, three more years to go....

There have been a few memorable experiences so far ...

I think after all his hard work in med school and always doubting his abilities, being the Valedictorian was a HUGE accomplishment. Of course, it was very stressful (instead of "fun") going to the banquet and graduation because he had to speak both times. When they called him up to receive an award, he talked all about me and my support, which was really touching. You should have heard the audience gasp when he said we had 4 boys! Obviously, not everyone knew that!

In internship year it has been the little things that have meant a lot to Russ ... he has had quite a few patients ask him to be their primary care physician and he has to tell them that he is an anesthesiology intern. He has had such high praise from people he respects, that his confidence is growing. Hopefully he will still be able to fit his head through the door in the future!!!

The smile on his face when he tells me about all the procedures he has done in a day and the people he has helped and knowing that he is feeling satisfaction in his career are probably the most rewarding. There were days when we were wondering if we had made the right choice going into medicine. Some days we still wonder but they are fewer now and I am much more hopeful about the future.

Robin

[DCJenn]

I can think of a few, but as we were getting ready to leave, I was reading his emails over his shoulder and there were so many emails from parents asking if they could stop by on his last day of clinic just to say good-bye. He was especially touched by the ones that he had done the two week well baby checks three years ago and he was the only pediatrician these kids had ever seen.

Another cool thing was once when we were in the commissary, a nurse stopped him and told him when he was ready to open up his neurology clinic, she'd be ready to go with him!

Jenn

Some pretty amazing people we run with, huh?

Great stories, every one of them!

[Rapunzel]

Wow! Some great stories.
Another memorable time was when I called him in the OR, screaming bloody murder at him for leaving his razor out (after repeatedly telling him to put it up high) after our 2 year old bit it and cut her mouth. I was 9 months pregnant at the time . . .

That one would've given me a heart attack and I'll bet he remembered from then on to put his razor away!!! 8O (My husband has a tendency to leave dangerous tools around where my toddler can reach them, so you're not alone.... )