Medical Student Problems
"Boy, tell me what are the complications of PPROM"
I looked up from my notepad. I've been burying my face in it, scribbling furiously what the specialist has been vomiting out for the past half an hour. Well, not just that. I've been trying to make myself invisible from the Dr's hawk eyes, like a rat scurrying into cover from the majestic bird. She was looking directly at me, her sharp glare tearing into my soul. I froze. Oh faeces, she's talking to me.
The whole obs and gynae rotation flashed behind my eyes, like how a dying person experience seeing all the good and the bad that they've done throughout their lifetime. I remembered how I was nodding off to sleep as my group mate was presenting his case, a fine bed-time story if were to tell you. It wasn't my fault, I've always been a sleepy head. Heck, I could fall asleep standing up. I'd be resting my eyes and the next thing I know it's 10 minutes later! In my mind was chaos, I knew I had the answer somewhere in that cluttered space of memories. It's somewhere there behind all the K-clique lyrics i memorized, or the box of embarassing moments from my childhood. I imagined that my mind was like my room. Very disorganized.
Then I remembered a Dr's tip. Before answering a question, breathe. 'The first answer that blurts out of your mouth is usually trash!' He exclaimed. 'You need to oxygenate your brain, so that those brain cells could have optimal neurotransmission and help you think and come up with the best possible answer'. I bet his brain is full of oxygen, I thought when he said that because he was so smart. Too smart in fact, we could hardly keep up with his vast array of knowledge, not just in medicine but history, politics and even geography. I inhaled deeply, sucking all the oxygen I could gather around me, my group mates won't need it as much as me- I was the one in panic mode!
This all happened in a split second, but believe me it felt like a lifetime. I was a deer in the headlights, not knowing what to do, frozen in time. I felt my pulse racing, tachycardia. I could feel my heart beating, palpitations. Oh crap, come on brain don't fail on me right now! My brain suddenly went through a list of differential diagnoses, of what could be happening to me right now. Am I having a panic attack? I definitely felt like dying at the moment. Or was it a heart attack? But there was no pain, only the pain of shame if I stumbled on this question on the last day of the rotation before the exams.
"Boy I asked you a question! Why do you look like you've seen a ghost?" The Doctor barked. Crap, this is my problem. I always wore my heart on my sleeves. she could probably see the shock that I was in, whether it was hypovolaemic or not.
The Doctor moved her gaze towards her next prey, my group mate.
I finally remembered to exhale.
Alas, the Dr's tip worked.
I was safe for another day...
I looked up from my notepad. I've been burying my face in it, scribbling furiously what the specialist has been vomiting out for the past half an hour. Well, not just that. I've been trying to make myself invisible from the Dr's hawk eyes, like a rat scurrying into cover from the majestic bird. She was looking directly at me, her sharp glare tearing into my soul. I froze. Oh faeces, she's talking to me.
The whole obs and gynae rotation flashed behind my eyes, like how a dying person experience seeing all the good and the bad that they've done throughout their lifetime. I remembered how I was nodding off to sleep as my group mate was presenting his case, a fine bed-time story if were to tell you. It wasn't my fault, I've always been a sleepy head. Heck, I could fall asleep standing up. I'd be resting my eyes and the next thing I know it's 10 minutes later! In my mind was chaos, I knew I had the answer somewhere in that cluttered space of memories. It's somewhere there behind all the K-clique lyrics i memorized, or the box of embarassing moments from my childhood. I imagined that my mind was like my room. Very disorganized.
Then I remembered a Dr's tip. Before answering a question, breathe. 'The first answer that blurts out of your mouth is usually trash!' He exclaimed. 'You need to oxygenate your brain, so that those brain cells could have optimal neurotransmission and help you think and come up with the best possible answer'. I bet his brain is full of oxygen, I thought when he said that because he was so smart. Too smart in fact, we could hardly keep up with his vast array of knowledge, not just in medicine but history, politics and even geography. I inhaled deeply, sucking all the oxygen I could gather around me, my group mates won't need it as much as me- I was the one in panic mode!
This all happened in a split second, but believe me it felt like a lifetime. I was a deer in the headlights, not knowing what to do, frozen in time. I felt my pulse racing, tachycardia. I could feel my heart beating, palpitations. Oh crap, come on brain don't fail on me right now! My brain suddenly went through a list of differential diagnoses, of what could be happening to me right now. Am I having a panic attack? I definitely felt like dying at the moment. Or was it a heart attack? But there was no pain, only the pain of shame if I stumbled on this question on the last day of the rotation before the exams.
"Boy I asked you a question! Why do you look like you've seen a ghost?" The Doctor barked. Crap, this is my problem. I always wore my heart on my sleeves. she could probably see the shock that I was in, whether it was hypovolaemic or not.
The Doctor moved her gaze towards her next prey, my group mate.
I finally remembered to exhale.
Alas, the Dr's tip worked.
I was safe for another day...
I had encountered this situation as well. A registrar asked me a simple question when I was thinking aboit something else. I didnt hear what was the question so I startled a lot at that moment. He said why you are in shock. Hahahaha those memories in the ward are wht we are going to miss after graduating from medschool
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