Doctors and communication

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quackdoc

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Its good to be back online after a long time.There were a lot of things that got me and kept me on the tenterhooks.
Its really difficult to be a doctor.I feel that in my experience as one I have come across a multitude of people.Each one brings his /her own perspective of life.The most difficult issue is to maintain a distance so as not be involved with the patients as well as have that magic word called as compassion and empathy.
The real test of one as a doctor comes when one of your own blood is involved.I have seen and managed to some extent open fractures,crush injuries,run over accidents.Recently my grandma,a fiesty lady nearing 80 fell down.At that point my mind went blank.It was a different kind of an experiece.When someone of your own is involved its no longer a case;a patient.Its your own.Father or mother?Life giver?Something that goes beyond being human?
Doctors weild an enormous influence over something that cannot be defined in concrete terms:LIFE.
I feel that one ought to learn the skills and whatever is neccessary.But spare a thought to one thing.The person should no longer be treated a case or a patient.But an invidual who has placed in front of you so as that you can provide a healing touch.The primary duty that what we need as physicians or as surgeons:The need or the felt need of the person to come with what he or she wants to communicate,things said and unsaid.
These things that life teaches us along the line.No med school is going to teach us.What do u feel about this?I d like to know about your experiences.
 
Interesting. At my school we place a large emphasis on developing communication skills to enable us to do just what (I think) you are trying to get at. Basically it is pretty logical and easy stuff - you don't need to be a genius to be able to do it - you just have to be able to be emotionally literate enough to tell if your patient is angry/sad/upset/worried about something and acknowledge it. It is about recognition and validation of the emotional component of illness and using that information as part of any therapeutic plan.
 
it's also important not to just validate/understand the patient's feelings, but also your own feelings and how that plays into things. The traditional model of medical education creates this artificial separation between doctor and patient. The doctor is required to maintain absolute objectivity and (fortunately) times have changed so that patients demand and need more than pure objectivity[although i really don't think times have changed so much as attention has shifted].

med schools can try and help people communicate better, and maybe help someone's "emotional intelligence" increase...I'm not sure they can really do much to infuse humanity.


p.s. hey tidi_kiwi -- that health quote, who said it? it's awesome.
 
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