Freaking out!

[Bevo]

Im in my final semester finally here at Ross. Always scared of the rumors, so I tried to stay to myself at times concerning certain matters.

So we have our Intro to Clinical Medicine and we have hospital visits in the capital. So I turned in my case history 4 weeks ago. I finally got it back, late. And Im reading. I see stuff I expected to be marked up. Until I get to the end with the Physical Examination.

The baby had down's syndrome and the doctor with us pointed out and asked what was on her hand, a siemen crease. And then other typical findings you'd see with a baby with down syndrome. So she circled the part where I mentioned she had a siemen crease and was hypotonic. Then off to the side with all caps she wrote "SHE DOES NOT HAVE ONE!!" <--verbatim. Then she wrote please see me.

Normally, I wouldn't think much of it. Maybe a little misunderstanding. Maybe she was thinking of the wrong child. I dunno. But then I talked to a girl who is doing the remedial 5th semester here, and how she got into a similar situation with the same doctor. And how she tried getting her kicked out for lying and falsfying patient information, etc. Then I started hearing more stories from other people.

She didn't believe what she said, nor the words of the other people who were present there. She had to get the doctor at the hospital to make her a copy of the records to prove her point.

Im not sure if such information would be present on this little girl's chart. I just remember the doctor who was there with us asking what we found on PE. Which at that point and time was nothing, it was only the 2nd of the semester and we hadn't learned anything yet. Put she took the baby's hand and drew her finger along the line of the crease and asked me what it was.

I dunno what I can do to protect myself. I know I didn't lie about anything, but Im not sure that will matter here. Supposed to meet with her tommorow.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[SuFiBB]

at least you are meeting with her soon. please keep me apprised of what happens with the meeting and good luck, you are in my prayers

 

[southerndoc]

Why do they penalize you for inaccuracy like that? The object of education is to write and present what you think you see. If you think the patient had a heart murmur, a certain physical trait, or whatever, but it turned out to not be so, then you shouldn't be penalized for this. Instead, you should be educated. No negative consequences should come from your writing it in an H&P -- either verbal, written, or grade consequences.

 

[Luck]

Maybe since it's a caribbean school they're tougher on their students so they can weed out the weak ones.

 

[ItsGavinC]

Why do they penalize you for inaccuracy like that? The object of education is to write and present what you think you see. If you think the patient had a heart murmur, a certain physical trait, or whatever, but it turned out to not be so, then you shouldn't be penalized for this. Instead, you should be educated. No negative consequences should come from your writing it in an H&P -- either verbal, written, or grade consequences.

Exactly. How many students miss heart murmurs? Heck, I swear I know interns that STILL can't do what they ought to when it comes to hearing murmurs.

Seems like they are overplaying the situation. Tell them that if you were perfect and knew everything you'd be signing their paychecks instead of paying for a medical education.

 

[ericdamiansean]

i've been through some situations where even interns miss simple things...minor murmurs, splits..that some of us students could take. But of course, it's embarassing if there's a specialist there and students can take it and the intern can't

anyway, if an examiner penalises you for no reason, there's a basis for an arguement...but of course, be nice to them first, but if they still want to screw you up...then, make a formal report..doesn't hurt though..especially if this is a repeat offender

 

[Bevo]

Thanks for the replies.

well most of the issues got resolved. New issues were surfaced when I finally talked with her.

The murmur issue, she wanted a little more speficity. I said it was a flow murmur as indicated by the physician conducting the PE. No prob with that now.

I gave her some bs about that maybe I got confused with the doctor trying to illustrate the simian line(crease?) on the baby's hand. And mistook it for what a classic down's syndrome baby was. She concieted that the baby was hypotonic.

She said that she didn't have a bruise on her forehead, but only a bump.

She also refuted that it wasn't ALL but only an undifferentiated acute leukemia. I think this might be true since she is the oncologist this island. But the Dr. who was present and treating the patient kept on saying it was ALL.

Then she glared at me and asked why I did not put that she was recieving chemotherapy and put that she blue bruises under her eyelids.

When I met with the patient, she was just diagnosed with ALL and hadn't begun theraphy. My write up was put in a few days after I met with her. Probably even before therapy was started.

I think Ive got an ulcer from all this aggravation now.