what would you do?

[SuzySunshine]

I get the friend part for OB, I really do - but for Anesthesia or peds or something where they're not going to be looking at your lady parts?? I don't get it and never will - if its a comfort issue I'm with madeintaiwan -

You expect others to allow your spouse to learn [what's wrong with them if they want to see a "real" doctor], but you're unwilling to do the same. It's ok for those people to be guinea pigs, but not you.

[peggyfromwastate]

I think it's unreasonable if you are getting medical care at a teaching hospital to demand attending only. But I think if it's your birth or surgery on your kids to want an experienced resident present. I know that there is not always am attending or chief with a junior resident at all times. But as a patient I feel justified asking what experience level my resident has and if they are not experienced to ask for a more experienced doctor to be present too. I actually prefer getting care by a med student bc I know an upper level resident or attending will be calling all the shots.

I also have no prob being a guinnea pig myself. I let a nursing student get his required pap on me even. He was so embarrassed- I said "look, I've had 5 kids, I got over my own embarrassment about 12 years ago."

[diggitydot]

Heh. A med student from my mom's office did his required pap on me once. Poor guy was incredibly nervous. Didn't help that my mom kept cracking jokes, I had had uncontrollable giggles, and the speculum popped out. Dude was mortified.

I kept laughing.

[peggyfromwastate]

That must have been so awkward for him!!!

Bet he didn't go into ob...

[Chrisada]

I think it's unreasonable if you are getting medical care at a teaching hospital to demand attending only.

Absolutely!

And at DH's program there is always an attending or senior with them for the delivery. I'm with Cheri and Davita on this one, and I would have no problems whatsoever with another resident being involved in my delivery. Friends or not. I guess, I'm of the once they've seen one, they've seen them all. Or maybe I just have no concept of modesty or awkwardness after delivering two babies!

[Urowife]

I guess I should say the reason I requested the attending do my epidural is that I have scoliosis and I knew it was going to be more complicated. It would have been ok if the resident wanted to observe or if they were really experienced and wanted to take a try with the attending guiding them, but it wasn't going to be routine and thus when it came down to it, I really just wanted the attending to do it. Sorry.

[houseelf]

My privacy policy is broader than obstetrics and/or the use of residents. I really try to avoid using any personal acquaintances as health care providers. There is too much of a chance of awkward social interaction as well as the personal relationship affecting the health care choices. I want to be able to comfortable get a second opinion without weighing in that physician's feelings and the doctor doesn't need to feel constrained by the fact that we hang out together. That's me, however. Both sets of my grandparents received subpar healthcare towards the end of their life because they used a personal friend/life long family physician without adequate referrals to specialists for more demanding issues. This lesson has always stuck with me.

There would be obvious exceptions to this rule because sometimes you are lucky to have insider information about who is the best possible provider. The one time we circumvented this rule was for both of the kids' orthopedic needs. DH knew exactly who he wanted to be their provider.

During my last L & D at a private hospital in which DH had no affiliation, I swear about 10 people were in the room because things were getting tricky with baby coming out a bit awkwardly positioned. I'm sure that some of them were residents and perhaps even some random strangers. We could have cared less.

Like Debs mentioned, the only reason that I have only been able to keep professional distance from health care providers is because we have always lived in decent sized cities.

[DCJenn]

It's rarely an issue in the military because people are rotated through so quickly. The only stable providers I've had have been civilians. (The pediatrician, as a matter of fact)

J.

There would be obvious exceptions to this rule because sometimes you are lucky to have insider information about who is the best possible provider. The one time we circumvented this rule was for both of the kids' orthopedic needs. DH knew exactly who he wanted to be their provider.

I agree with this. I also take a middle-of-the-road approach to the resident/student rule.

My husband had to learn on someone, and I totally agree that it's unfair of us (as people in/married to the profession) to have a blanket "no-resident" policy (I'm not saying anyone here has said THAT specifically, just making my argument). Just as I believe it's crap that med students get a much freer hand on VA patients. I have always allowed residents/nursing students, etc. to be involved with my care.

That said, I also believe it's one of the FEW true perks of being married to medicine that we really know/understand what those designations on name tags mean. When Quinn had a cut through his eyebrow on July 17, 2003 (he was 10 months old), I walked into that ED knowing that the academic year had just changed, and that he was going to be looked at by newer eyes than if we'd walked in in May. I was quick to ask what year the resident was, and quick to make it known that my husband was house staff (so professional courtesy would generally dictate that a practiced hand would be sewing on my son's face). It's foolish not to use what we know.

[Meenah]

I think the bottom line is patient comfort level, and this can change from minute to minute. I'm ususlly fine with Residents for me or my family. Med Students usually have supervision from their Resident, and I rarely see them do anything to a patient without direct supervision (except history taking). I can't believe a med student would be anywhere near a Mom about to deliver, unless observing. If a patient isn't comfortable with students, they have every right (legally) to say no. Teaching hospitals also have Private Attendings, and if their patients show up in the ER they don't assume that they are in a "teaching hospital".

[SoonerTexan]

I can't believe a med student would be anywhere near a Mom about to deliver, unless observing.

I've heard otherwise about Parkland. I'm sure Vgirl or Rapunzel would know better.

[Pollyanna]

I had baby number 5 at Dh's hospital during his chief year. He pretty much hand picked my team and the residents stayed away. They are, shall we say intimidated by dh so there is no way they were going to risk making a mistake on his wife . The attending anesthesiologist did my epidural but he had residents helping out and checking on me the next day. The entire staff went way out of their way to make my stay wonderful. The nurses even decorated my room for me with signs and streamers before I arrived for my induction.

[PrincessFiona]

I never had a problem with being a guinea pig as long as I knew that there was back-up. My only issue was having people in the room that we socialized with. For me, it felt really awkward. When Alex was born at a teaching hospital, they had a full team including our neighbor who was in peds all standing at the foot of the bed waiting for him to appear. It was ridiculously embarrassing for me, especially later. I sensed that he felt awkward as well the first couple of times we met at the mailbox. Docs are only human after all (no matter what they might tell themselves! LOL). I really do prefer not to have my medical needs met by people that we know or who my dh works with when possible. I want to have privacy when it comes to my health needs. HIPPA is great in theory, but isn't always enforced. I have had enough my own health information passed around that I don't trust the system anymore.

Kris

If a patient isn't comfortable with students, they have every right (legally) to say no.

Most/many don't know that OR often realize they are dealing with a student or resident or fellow, though. DH caught babies when he was in medical school, and I know his classmates did too -- but it was, of course, at the hospital with the large indigent population. If you're coming in with a doctor and have received pre-natal care, chances are they'd never even consider letting a med student deliver your baby, or a even a resident for that matter (unless your doc / doc on call didn't make it in).

[diggitydot]

DH caught tons of babies in med school, too.