I am about to tell you a secret. I suppose, it won't be a secret anymore after this but it has been an year and I think I'm ready. Yes, I'm being a tad dramatic but you have to understand where I am coming from. Nothing really prepares you for medical school - and I am not talking about the workload. As you are all aware, medical students spend most of their time reading than sleeping. I'm talking about the human experience - the interaction with patients which begins during your clinical years.
Ask any health professional and they can tell you we know and expect to come across difficult emotionally engaging cases from time to time, but nothing really prepares you for these situations. If you are a regular reader of this column, by now I have introduced you to some of my friends and colleagues who have had meltdowns and breakdowns. Quite recent, being my friend who had decided to drop out of medical school after losing a patient. Though she later on calmed down and returned to school, the impact our patients have on our lives cannot be downplayed.
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