Monday, February 29, 2016
Week One
My first week shadowing Dr. Brotsky was a whirlwind.
Monday was an 11 hour work day filled with nearly 30 appointments in Dr. Brotsky's office and a surgery at Arrowhead Hospital.
Prior to my first week shadowing, I expected to observe about a dozen appointments a day and maybe a surgery in a couple weeks. However, I was thrown right into the busy life of an OB-GYN. I was introduced to the patients in every appointment and given consent to be present in every encounter in the office and the operating room.
While observing the appointments, I took notes on terms that I was unfamiliar with, the relationship that must exist between the doctor and the patient and any signs of postpartum depression without disclosing any personal information. I also took note of questions I wanted to ask Dr. Brotsky and saved them for the end of the day.
The most exciting part of my first day was going into the operating room to observe Dr. Brotsky perform a cesarean section at. I wasn't sure on what to expect in the OR but, there were numerous sights, sounds, and smells that caught me off guard. Despite the importance of Dr. Brotsky in the OR, I couldn't help but notice the role of the registered nurse.
Tuesday was a shorter day at nine hours and I sat in about 25 appointments and observed my first vaginal birth at Banner Thunderbird Medical Center. It was breathtaking and eye watering for me to be present while Dr. Brotsky delivered.
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Hey Lizette,
ReplyDeleteYour SRP sounds really exciting. It's really cool that they just threw you right in. What was your experience like going into to see patients? I know that they probably had to give their consent for you to come in, but what types of interactions did you have with the patients? Were there any awkward moments throughout the appointments or did everything flow very smoothly?
Initially, I as nervous about going in the rooms. Yes, Dr. Brotsky had to ask the patients if they were comfortable with me observing. So far, I have not had an unpleasant experience with her patients. Dr. Brotsky introduces me as a student but, most of the patients directly asked me questions like where I attended school. Many patients actually thought I was a medical student! So, they were impressed to find out that I am only a senior in high school.
DeleteThe appointments were a little awkward for me at first considering her patients were coming in for annual Pap smears and pregnancy appointments but, as I sat in more appointments the more comfortable I felt.
Hi Lizette! I was wondering if, after all of your experiences, becoming an OBGYN is something you are interested in becoming? Is there anything about the job/experience that you didn't like?
ReplyDeleteFor a while, I was just interested in being a doctor. When Dr. Brotsky moved to Peoria, I became interested in what she did and what her job entailed. Prior to this project, the idea of me becoming an OB-GYN was just that, an idea. After observing appointments and going into surgery with Dr. Brotsky, I am highly considering obstetrics and gynecology as a career.
DeleteI think most doctors can agree that besides the sleep deprivation that follows from being on-call, charting and documentation are a pain. Dr. Brotsky spends her lunch and time at home documenting her appointments and surgeries. I am not looking forward to that aspect of being a doctor.
I am not definite on becoming an OB-GYN just yet, I'm keeping an open mind on the medical field.
Hi Lizette! I just read your blog and it's so amazing that you got to witness things like live birth. I hope you're learning a lot and I'm so excited to read more!!
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