Surgery is not my favourite division of medicine. In fact, it is probably my least liked subject. And it is not because I am haemophobic.
There is just something about surgery that gives me the chills. Personally I find surgery relatively messy, dealing with abscesses, intestines, infected wounds, hernias, cancers... The list goes on.
When I was in my 3rd year of studies, I did a 10-week rotation in surgery. Needless to say, I wasn't the most enthusiastic student and only spent enough time to learn the basics, whatever was necessary to pass the exams.
Now that I am in my final year, and in my final months of studies, I find myself going through this rotation again, this time for a much shorter period, only 4 weeks.
I am taking more interest in surgery now that I am almost completing my training, voluntarily doing or assisting in procedures.
After a whole morning in the clinic yesterday, I realized that there is more to examining a patient than what medical school can teach.
I've already been reminded of the importance of wearing gloves in a previous post.
Yesterday I remembered to wear the latex fingers before performing a rectal examination... But I only wore it on my right hand. I thought that since I was only going to use my right index finger, what's the point of wasting another glove for my left hand?
I only saw the point after applying KY jelly on my finger. I needed my left hand to part the err... you know what I mean. So there, bitten by my stupidity again.
There is just something about surgery that gives me the chills. Personally I find surgery relatively messy, dealing with abscesses, intestines, infected wounds, hernias, cancers... The list goes on.
When I was in my 3rd year of studies, I did a 10-week rotation in surgery. Needless to say, I wasn't the most enthusiastic student and only spent enough time to learn the basics, whatever was necessary to pass the exams.
Now that I am in my final year, and in my final months of studies, I find myself going through this rotation again, this time for a much shorter period, only 4 weeks.
I am taking more interest in surgery now that I am almost completing my training, voluntarily doing or assisting in procedures.
After a whole morning in the clinic yesterday, I realized that there is more to examining a patient than what medical school can teach.
I've already been reminded of the importance of wearing gloves in a previous post.
Yesterday I remembered to wear the latex fingers before performing a rectal examination... But I only wore it on my right hand. I thought that since I was only going to use my right index finger, what's the point of wasting another glove for my left hand?
I only saw the point after applying KY jelly on my finger. I needed my left hand to part the err... you know what I mean. So there, bitten by my stupidity again.
That was for the rectal examination. I was observing the house officer inspect another case, this time a fistula in ano. I could never forget how bad the smell was... It reminded me of smelly salted-fish with belacan. Ughh....
So lessons from clinic :
Always wear gloves on both hands. You never know when you might need your hands or what you will touch.
Always wear a mask when examining a fistula in ano.
I am wiser now.
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