White Lab Coat and it felt great. Walking through the hospital doors, I felt as if I had already finished my Boards and had been in practice for years. The reality, I'm still in Undergrad with just one year to go and the MCAT is in sight, just merely haunting me.
The patient I remember the most from this day was a man, possibly infertile. The only infertility male patient that day. I wasn't aware of the intensity an observship entailed. Naively, I wasn't aware of the outright exposure patients must undergo in order to be treated.
"Here's a blue gown, take everything off"
"Even the underwear?"
"Everything"
This would soon be a clip of the words that would familiarly roll off my tongue all day.
The man, obviously uncomfortable avoided eye contact as the doctor, a med student, and myself peered on intrigued. His sheer uncomfortableness was making me uncomfortable, so I looked away as the doctor measured his testes, then felt his genitals for any signs of a hernia.
The next patients weren't as intense. I like the word intense, it seems to characterize hospital experiences.
Anyway, this was a female patient, also infertile and suffering from endometriosis. Prior to working at the hospital, I hadn't realized how common endometriosis cases are. I am blessed to not have any such complications, because it is painful. And I'm a sucker for pain.
My favorite part of this particular day was a phone encounter I had with one of the doctor's patients. These were the Nurse Receptionist words as she handed me the phone:
"I have a patient on the phone, she speaks 90% Spanish"
I love Spanish. Am I fluent? No. But I love every bit of it. So I offered my assistance.
"I can try, I speak a little Spanish"
Before my mind could process, I was on the phone asking the lady on the other line to "habla mas gradualmente por favor". To my surprise after endless pauses and "ah's" and all the snippets of miscommunication, I was able to communicate to her in a strong Spanglish that she needed to contact the Gynecologist office in order to get fertility hormones ahora.
The lesson of day? Learn Spanish! I am praying and praying that God gives me an opportunity to learn to speak Spanish fluently soon and for free.
