Indexing Title:  RJPeralta Medical Anecdotal Report

MAR Title:  Team

Date of Observation: March 2008

Narration:

Clerkship is one of the hardest stage one has to overcome to become a doctor. 

             From being an ordinary student (having a strict schedule per day that includes study period, lunch break and dismissal) for almost seven or eight years, they are suddenly thrown into a world wherein they are made to believe that they are the lowest form of animal in the hospital and the only schedule they have is categorized as pre, duty, and from.  The details of the schedule is dependent on the number of patients to be catered.

             2 weeks ago, there was a new batch of clerks in the hospital.  As expected, it was difficult and honestly, very tiring because we have to teach them how to do history and physical examination, how to do procedures like venipuncture, IV insertion,  to the ways of the hospital and many more.I am not complaining. —But the most important thing I think, we must teach them is how to deal with patients. 

As the days passes by, one can see the improvement in every one of them and the eagerness to learn and be better in what they do.   I know they will be better.

Last Tuesday, I were assigned at the OPD and one of the medical clerks referred to me an 8-year old boy who is a follow up case of  an complete displaced fracture, distal third, radius, left.  The father of the patient brought the official x ray result which shows complete displaced fracture, distal third, radius, left and  follow up study shows that there is cast.  What ?! What is there is cast?!   I asked the medical clerk to retrieve all the plates and she did but the most recent one was lost.  We tried to find the plate but to no avail so I decided to repeat the x ray.  The medical clerk explained to the father what happened but he irritatingly answered, “paulit naman ng paulit.  Puro x ray na anak ko”.  The medical clerk approached me and tell me her predicament.I tried to control my temper and I, again, explained the situation to him with the emphasis of the importance of the repeat x ray.  The father complied and the repeat x ray revealed minimal callus formation.  I referred the case to my senior and decided upon to remove the cast.

After the cast was removed, the patient and his father were advised.  The father apologized and went home.  I talked to the medical clerk about what just happened and gave her ideas in how to approach those kinds of patients.  I know I’m no expert in those things and I’m also learning.

Insight: (Physical, Ethical, Psychosocial)
(Discovery, Reinforcement, Stimulus)

Medical Clerks can be viewed as a toddler who will try to copy or emulate a residents’ every act.  So we must be mindful and responsible  for our actions.

They are our medical clerks. 

They are part of our team.

They are our responsibility. 

They can be future us.