March 18th is Match Day. I remember taking a Hippocratic Oath at the beginning of medical school and now this is the beginning of the profession I have always dreamed of…

I recognize my profession will  allow me to take part in the most intimate and vulnerable moments of peoples lives.  It will call for me to exercise patience and listen; To exercise prudent judgement and accept constructive criticism. Ideas will be different. Cultures will be unique.  And tolerance will vary. I welcome this challenge and look forward to providing excellent care. My rotations have highlighted the importance of leadership, team work, and communication in the improvement of illness and disease. At the core of this success is courtesy, respect, and professionalism. I will continue to uphold these ideals as I begin my residency in Family Medicine.

What would you do if someone came into the ED with a snake bite? Asked Dr. Nunez.My mind starts racing. ..Vitals….stable/unstable? Pulses? Location of Injury? Necrosis? Erythema?

I am thinking in Spanish for a Tropical Medicine session in Costa Rica. Maybe not a common scenario in urban EDs but still I was intrigued at the information I was acquiring. I loved learning! We would go on to role play the scene….And what if the person develops respiratory distress with first administration of  anti-venom ? Myself and other medical students begin to throw out possible treatment options. As budding anesthesiologists, Hospitalists, Family Doctors, and Pediatricians, we all had something to contribute.  I saw how the wealth of information I had acquired from medical school seem to become more natural. I wasn’t memorizing so much as critically thinking, interpreting, and analyzing.

Over the rest of the weeks I would tend to 35 patients a day in the clinic. Individuals with HTN/DM , Cellulitis, Pneumonia, and Post-term pregnancys all came in thru the door. Everyone had 12 minutes . Were they sick or not sick? It became a routine:

Padece de algunas enfermedades?

Alérgica a algún medicamento?

I would explain Diabetes, HTN, Thyroid Conditions, and the importance of Diet/Exercise.  I reviewed my copy of Bates Physical Exam in Spanish and read medical literature in spanish to further my understanding of medical conditions and the ability to communicate medical information. I want to continue to learn in order to be the best advocate for my patients and families.