Physician Shadowing Reflection

The other favorite activity that I have participated in during my high school career is physician shadowing. Through the Health Practicum course offered at Anderson, I have been able to gain invaluable exposure to the medical field and a variety of occupations. Ever since my Honors Anatomy and Physiology course I took sophomore year, my interest in the medical field has grown and developed. Following this course I took Honors Pathophysiology and decided that the next logical course in my health-related progression would be Health Practicum. The shadowing I’ve been able to complete through this course opportunity has helped to solidify my plans for a future in the medical field. While shadowing at a clinic of my choosing allowed me to form relationships …show more content…
Throughout each hospital department, I met numerous caring nurses and dedicated doctors, devoted to helping their patients recover. There are numerous lessons I’ve learned, but one of the first ones I discovered was the significance of patience with your patients. My nurse mentioned to me that patients in hospitals often experience a lack of control over their environment and their medical condition. Because of this, they feel the need to find some source of control. This needed control takes different forms for various patients. For the man I met, this took the form of showering. He was insistent on taking a shower when he wanted to, whether it worked well for his nurse or his scheduled procedures for the day. The man ended up taking a 45 minute shower, refusing to come out, resulting in a delayed procedure, as the nurse waited outside the door for him. While she was frustrated, she was able to remain calm by understanding his actions were motivated not by disrespect for her, but by the human need for control in life. A few rotations later, there was a woman staying in the ICU. She had suffered a severe stroke and had yet to stay awake for more than an hour following it. The entire morning I