Rehab.

The Department I thought I would like least. This made me go back to what I took for granted 3 years ago— Anatomy.

Thank you, Doctor.

SURGERY ROTATION

It was tough picking photos to represent my experience as a Surgery Clinical Clerk.

I was really glad that this was my first rotation. I was honestly so excited for this....was really looking forward to it and I am glad it did not disappoint. Our upperclassmen said this was one of the toughest and most exhausting area but it more fun than it was tiring. I learned a lot and I had an awesome experience. It wasn’t always great but I found myself always looking forward to something better.... another duty day, more patients to see, more procedures, more learnings. It was my first but I already feel like it is going to be my best.

I always looked up to the surgeons who taught us back in medschool. They were brilliant. There were some who makes us want to give up but there were also those who truly inspired us and I couldnt wait to learn from them in the clinical setting. Although I was never good in class, I have really fallen in love with surgery. My residents also told me that the skills and the things I may not know now are something I could eventually learn.

I was on duty in the OB-Gyn department. A 19 yr old came in for severe hypogastric pain and 2 days of spotting, LMP was on January. Pregnancy is always on the top of our list. But even before I can do anything, the dead foetus was spontaneously delivered right before my eyes and straight into my hands. The mother admitted later that she had ‘hilot’ - a form of traditional massage - of her belly but, allegedly, without intent of abortion. 

I don’t know if what struck me that time was the lifeless, severely deformed and seemingly rotting foetus on my hands, or the fear and sorrow that I saw on the mother’s face, or both. It made me remember a lecture I had in second year, that a newborn’s cry gives relief not only to the mother, but to her obstetrician as well.