Page 7 - COM Outlook - Winter 2013

7 COM Outlook . Winter 2013
Life Lessons of a Young Doctor
By Tiffany Sizemore-Ruiz, D.O. (2009 NSU-COM alumna)
The life of a doctor is no easy one. We usu-
ally treat our patients before we take care of
ourselves or our family. While we would prob-
ably never wake up at 2:00 a.m. to run to our
neighbor’s house if someone was sick, we will go
to the hospital at 2:00 a.m. because a complete
stranger is having a heart attack. We are also
emotionally and physically challenged, every
single day. Having to tell a daughter that she has
lost her mother will never get easier, no matter
how many times you do it. We cry, we laugh, and
we are the shoulder that gets leaned on.
The hospital staff will see us more than any of
our outside friends and relatives. These rela-
tionships are extremely important, and a young
doctor will soon learn that these relationships
will make or break you. Understand that not
everyone will like you, and that is okay, but try
your hardest to, at the very least, earn the re-
spect of everyone around you. You do not know
everything, and if you think you do, just quit now.
The best doctors are the ones that know their
boundaries and are not afraid to ask for help
from anyone. The nurse has placed a thousand
more Foleys and IVs than you, so when she says
something is wrong, it probably is.
Be kind, humble, and understanding. You will
lose your temper, but apologies will typically
calm any anger you may have caused. Comb your
hair and iron your clothes and lab coat because
no one likes a sloppy-looking doctor. Smile. Try
not to yawn in front of a patient, even if you
only got one hour of sleep. What patient wants
to actually know that the person who is taking
care of him or her only had one hour of sleep?
I got yelled at once for this and never forgot it.
You will get asked seemingly stupid questions, by
everyone. Smile, answer them—even if you have
to answer them four times—and laugh about it
later. It’s better to get asked a stupid question
than for a stupid mistake to get made.
You will disagree with other doctors, but
know your place. At the same time, question
everything. If you don’t know, ask. Never assume
the person you are speaking with is correct. If
there is any doubt, look it up, and then your in-
ner conscience will jump up and down when you
prove them wrong.
It’s okay to be upset that someone can sue
you for hundreds of thousands of dollars for a
mistake. I have never, ever, seen a doctor do
anything intentionally to harm a patient, but mis-
takes or no mistakes, the government allows for
frivolous lawsuits. We need to work together to
change this, because honestly, it is getting com-
pletely out of control. If our government wants to
lower the price of health care, then it should stop
allowing these lawsuits to happen.
You will order far more tests and labs than
you probably need to because you are afraid
of getting sued, and you know what? Until laws
change, everyone else will be doing it too—and
the cost of health care will thus stay high. In ad-
dition, the more training you receive, the more
you will realize you will probably never be com-
pensated to the extent that you feel you should
be—so get over it.
We are expected to be a psychologist, dieti-
cian, personal trainer, family member, friend, and
mentor. If you don’t know how to be any one of
these, start learning. Fully answer every ques-
tion a patient or family member has. Do not ever
seem rushed, even if you are. You will always do
the right thing if you treat a patient the way you
would treat your mother.
Miracles happen, just when you least
expect them.
And last but not least, never underestimate
the power of a hug. Never!
As another chapter
in my life comes to
a close, I try to look
back and reflect upon
what lessons I have
learned and what life
experiences I have
gained. As a result,
most of these lessons
are useful not only to
recently graduated
physicians, but also to
the public as a whole.
The last three years of
my internal medicine
residency have probably
been the best of my
life. Not only did I grow
in my knowledge as a
physician, but I also
grew as a person. I have
learned when to speak
up and when to shut up,
who can be trusted and
who cannot, and that
true friends will stick
with you through
thick and thin.