This topic was written by : Dr.Marianne DiNapoli Of the hundreds of patients I’ve interacted with in medical school, there are three who stand out in my mind. Forget the textbooks, the board exams, and the presentations on rounds. These patients are the ones who taught me how to be a doctor. 1) My very first patient. This elderly man had one of the most horrific wounds I have seen to this day, and underwent several painful operations during his time in the hospital. I spent every morning changing the dressing over his wound, and as I did this, we grew very close. He had such a strong will to live, and coped with the poor hand he was dealt in life with incredible grace. He taught me what it means to care deeply about a patient. 2) My patient who passed away. Though many of my patients have died, only one died before my eyes. Seeing life leave someone you care about – someone whose life you are responsible for – can haunt you. However, over time, I have accepted that her death was not my fault, and there was nothing our team could have done to save her. She taught me to be strong when I am faced with patients’ deaths in the future. 3) My newly pregnant patient. A patient came in to clinic early on in her pregnancy. After I had seen her with my resident, she asked if she could listen to the heart beat. My resident excused himself from the exam room, but handed me the ultrasound probe to see if I could find it. It was just the patient and I in the room, and when we heard the heart beat together, we both cried. She taught me about the joy of helping a patient through her pregnancy, and helped me realize what I was meant to do with the rest of my life. Source
