Auckland City Hospital

I took the opportunity of being here in Auckland to study something else I'm interested in...medicine! Upon arriving in the city I asked one of the field camp instructors, who is also a Professor of Geology here at the University of Auckland, to ask around to any acquaintances who might allow me to shadow them (basically literally that, to follow them around during an average day to see what 'a doctor's life' is really like), and we found someone! This doctor, who for convenience I will call Dr. Washington (to protect his anonymity but make this easier for me) allowed me to come in and for one day be his shadow!

The hospital! Our day started bright and early at 8:30AM. Or so I thought! I walked to the hospital and checked in only to find out that Dr. Washington had been called out on other business!

Lesson 1: Doctors are busy. Even when you think you will have time off, sometimes things come up! I've heard it described that in med school literally the rest of your life disappears; this can definitely continue. You don't go into medicine half convinced it's for you.

But I got in! Talking to Dr. Washington I arranged to come in a bit later when he would be back around the hospital and our day began! We started off by attending a kind of conference for doctors, discussing a few specific patient cases. These discussions covered the specific details of the case (minus patient information of course) and the conditions place in a wider view of medicine. The floor was opened up to the audience of doctors as well, to discuss the case, diagnosis and future suggestions.

Lesson 2: Doctors are always learning themselves. Good thing I like school!

After hearing several of these cases we headed off to the General Ward where I was to follow Dr. Washington, checking up on his regular patients. Dr. Washington I must point out, is just a fantastic individual. Originally from the midwestern United States himself he told me all about his own undergraduate career, his transition to medical school, the importance of looking carefully for the right medical school (Lesson 3: Apply to a LOT of medical schools; he recommended at least 15, especially in this tough economy--there are always more brilliantly qualified applicants!) and then a bit about residency. Now in New Zealand he practices as a general practitioner but also in psychiatry, seeing patients in both areas.

But onto the floor we go!

It was such an amazing experience, what I saw and learned. Most importantly I think, I really saw myself there. I was positive that medicine was for me (after, as some of you know years of flipping back and forth on the issue...no more marine biology dreams!) and this experience only confirmed it. We began each patient visit in the hallway, with the team of doctors discussing the case and specifically telling me about it, and drilling the other medical students.

Lesson 4: Better get used to acting on the fly; doctors are CONSTANTLY quizzing medical students on the floor.

We saw quite a range of patients...

an old man with dementia,

an older woman, who attempted suicide by swallowing 19 pills and continues struggling with depression,

another older woman suffering from a stroke and currently battling depression and anorexia,

older women suffering from falls,

a young middle eastern woman who spoke only a few phrases of English,

(and her very concerned husband, who likewise spoke little English),

and

an old man who, initially brought in for testing for a stroke, has an unidentified mass near his skull which may prove, with further testing to be brain cancer.

Lesson 5: Being a doctor really isn't easy. You get to see a lot of pain and a lot of loss, and people at their weakest moments. But you can balance that knowledge with a drive to help and in extreme cases, that whatever you do and however it turns out, was better than doing nothing at all.

I'm returning in a few days to see the results of some of these tests and to check up on my patients, in addition to attending a speaker with Dr. Washington.

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And here I divert from my experiences today to conversation and politics...

I also got an opportunity to talk to Dr. Washington about the differences in medical practice between New Zealand and the United States. Auckland City Hospital does very little billing; when you come here it doesn't matter whether you are a millionaire or just an average citizen. New Zealand's healthcare system allows for this type of care. On the downside though, different from the United States, New Zealand is quite distant for major advances and experimental therapies. Dr. Washington told me a bit about how, in the United States, if a patient comes in with respiratory problems, ALL possible tests are run and recommended. In New Zealand only the bare minimum are, the necessities. This restricts accidental discoveries; which as the scientists among us know, is one of the chief methods of discovering new treatment options.

Interesting.

He also talked a bit about something I'm personally really passionate about. When I become a doctor, I really want to (at the moment) become a pediatric oncologist, but use my experience and knowledge to volunteer in free clinics and programs like Doctors Without Borders. But Dr. Washington reminded me of other concerns that I would have... mortgage, the yacht, the plane....and how many of these doctors 'sold out,' as it were.

Lesson 6: REMEMBER YOUR PRINCIPLES.