clinic

something unique about me among many of my colleagues: i love clinic. and this is great because i started my outpatient acting internship in family medicine this week.

and it's awesome. i knew it would be. here's why:
1. laid-back doctors who let me do a lot ("did you write the prescription? order the labs? can you just run my clinic?")
2. steady flow of adult patients (no babies! or kids!)
3. 8a-5p, baby
4. and - dum, dum, dum - i did my family medicine clerkship here! so i have intimate knowledge of the whereabouts of important things like the bathrooms, vending machines, staff microwave, younameit

in medical school where you sometimes switch to a different ward/service/specialty as often as every week, it was such a delight to be starting something where it didn't feel like my first day was my first day.

and my cheap jab above about not seeing kids in the clinic? nah, don't sweat it. they say kids say the darnedest things, but i'd be willing to fight 'em for it. here's an example from today from a delightful little woman in her late 60s. my patients say plenty to keep me rolling all day long.

"hi, ms. so-and-so, what brings you in today?"
"this awful cough" ::coughs:: "i've had it for a month. last time i had a cough like this it turned into pneumonia. i hadn't planned to go to the doctor that time, but my husband told me he wouldn't have SEX with me anymore if i didn't get myself fixed up, so i guess i just HAD to!"
"i see. well we wouldn't want that to happen. tell me more about your cough..."