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[kamakazi5]

Dude, just ask.

I didn't realize my dog moonlighted as a service dog. Haha, he looks identical to my golden.

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[Spectre of Ockham]

#1 He's a good boy - the most important question has been answered

#2 I had no idea dogs can be used in PTSD . I'm generally opposed to keeping pets inside 4 walls since I've seen how bananas my dogs go when I take them out in the fields and they can run for miles like crazy BUT I am all for medical pets. When most people will stop running from psychiatry like it's the plague perhaps we will have enough research to cure the myriad of conditions . In the mean time ....
Who's a good boy ? Are you a good boy ? Yes you are , yes you are !

 

[familymed4lyfe]

I am about 90 percent sure this person goes to my school in the southeast and lives in coed housing.

 

[Spectre of Ockham]

I am about 90 percent sure this person goes to my school in the southeast and lives in coed housing.

Are you able to confirm that the dog is a good boy ?

 

[cbrons]

All the pets and kisses to Jesse

Do you know his dog IRL or something? Lol.

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[familymed4lyfe]

Do you know his dog IRL or something? Lol.

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I have seen the dog once. Not sure of the student

 

[deleted825474]

This is so awesome to hear! My lab has been working on establishing the evidence base for psychiatric service dogs for children and adults and working on how to implement their use into schools. Love reading accounts like this!

PTSD has more backing, but we are trying to establish the same for anxiety and depression.


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Yay! good for you guys! This is awesome work!

 

[deleted825474]

I am about 90 percent sure this person goes to my school in the southeast and lives in coed housing.

Negative, sir.

 

[MSTP18]

Are you able to confirm that the dog is a good boy ?

Critically important question

 

[medstu19]

Do you know his dog IRL or something? Lol.

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Psssht like I have to have MET a dog to love it??

 

[bobbyn]

Cute dog.

Dogs are in SICU/other ICU settings all the time at my hospital.

 

[Nephro critical care]

Thank you

I did not bring Jesse to my interviews. In retrospect, I should have. I was concerned about having a service animal in the medical field, being judged, etc. I even promised myself that I wouldn't use him 24/7 once I started medical school. Surprise, surprise, I realized how much I needed him a few weeks into school. After about a month I got up the courage to talk to the school about it. Thankfully, they were really supportive.

I think it would be a courtesy to the hospitals that are considering you for residency that they should know about the service dog and why you have it. I am going to be politically incorrect but just saying when you have 20 patients and if every time you are seeing a patient you are going to have to put your dog in a crate outside the patients room it's not going to work out. It won't work out either if you go into cardiology and are running off to the cath lab for a STEMI.

There is a lot of hustling when you are working in inpatient medicine. I can imagine you carrying the dog off if you are in a psychiatry field of medicine ( I knew a psychiatrist who had a therapy dog and kept it in the room during a counsellling session ) but the dog is not going to be compatible if you are running to a code.

 

[WingedOx]

( I knew a psychiatrist who had a therapy dog and kept it in the room during a counsellling session )

for himself/herself or for the patient?

 

[Nephro critical care]

for himself/herself or for the patient?

The dog may have been a marketing trick. She kept it as a ' therapy dog ' , I think though it was her pet dog and she may liked to keep it with her during a session and then found patients liked it too. Psychiatry is kind of different though from other medical specialities in that you have more time with an individual patient.

 

[WingedOx]

The dog may have been a marketing trick. She kept it as a ' therapy dog ' , I think though it was her pet dog and she may liked to keep it with her during a session and then found patients liked it too. Psychiatry is kind of different though from other medical specialities in that you have more time with an individual patient.

Sounds about right, though was she claiming it was a treatment device for her patients or a treatment device for her?

 

[Nephro critical care]

The hospital has some guidelines regarding

Sounds about right, though was she claiming it was a treatment device for her patients or a treatment device for her?

She claimed it as a treatment device for her patients. Was a very cute dog though , not frisky and lay down quietly in its little bed or on a couch the whole time while she saw her patients.

 

[mlibby]

Hi all,

I'm opening up this AMA thread to encourage other med students/prospective students to advocate for themselves re: disabilities. I'm the first med student at my school to employ the use of a service animal and I want to share my experience. So please, ask away!

This is so helpful! Thank you. I'm currently earning a DNP in midwifery and am in the process of training my dog as a diabetic alert dog (I have T1DM).

 

[PTPoeny]

I'm curious, why is he specifically not allowed in the SICU but is allowed in all the other ICUs?

Are you going to have a crate at several nursing stations? Or carry it around during rounds? Or does your hospital have unit based teams? I'm curious because I am used to most teams rounding on lots and lots of different floors/units.

As an aside, If you have any references on the safety of dogs in ICUs I would love it if you could share then. We are currently trying to get the therapy dogs at my hospital to come to the PICU because for some reason they aren't allowed.

 

[Deranged Medic]

@bpperry

 

[Donald Juan]

OP, you should really come back and revive this thread (or start a new one) in about 2 years. I'd be really interested to know how M3 and applying to residency go.

 

[prettylittlebird]

.

 

[Michanel]

Awesome, Cute dog . Thanks!

 

[Future_Kindhearted_MD]

Thank you so much for this post! Im glad you are making history with your buddy.

 

[moisne]

On the other hand, I'm willing to bet there are plenty of doctors who get home, go straight to bed with their shoes on and still never get c. diff.

Basically everyone has c diff.




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[potato12345]

I am an upcoming medical student with PTSD, and have started the process of getting a service dog. My family was very concerned about the aspects of medical school with a service dog, as well as if I would even be able to get there with PTSD. Your post has eased their fears so much, so thank you for all of your information. It’s certainly a testament to your abilities to be able to advocate for yourself and your service dog every step of the way.

Do you feel that you ever get judged or have to prove yourself to be a competent student and future doctor because of having a service dog?

I would love to hear about your experiences in the final 2 years of school (and maybe even into residency ) as well! Best of luck to you

 

[PrettyLadyDoc24]

Dude, just ask.

Oh my gosh what a cutie!

 

[PrettyLadyDoc24]

The hospital has some guidelines regarding where a service animal can and cannot go. The guidelines are based off the ADA's recommendations for the use of service animals. Most, if not all, of the recommendations are based off research regarding allergies & patient safety. Generally, there is a low risk of allergic response when a dog is in the hospital. There has been a recent study by the CDC showing that if a dog can be "gowned" he/she can go into the OR and not increase the risk of infection for the patient (BUT I think my dog would hate me if I did that to him…I’m also not sure the medical field is ready for a service animal to be in the OR just yet..)


I just met with the clerkship director for surgery; this is what we came up with regarding where he cannot go:


- OR

- SICU

- med storage rooms

- immunocompromised patient's room

- pt is uncomfortable with having a dog in the room



There will be a crate set up by the nurses' station for the times he cannot be with me. The first four on the list are already identified in hospital policy.


Technically, he is allowed in the ICU, med storage rooms and immunocompromised patient rooms if I (or any other visitor) do not need any type of barrier protection upon entering the room. I’m happy to have him wait outside, though – this is the first “staff” (if I’m considered staff)/service animal team the hospital has encountered. Therefore, I want people to be comfortable as we begin the process of “normalizing” this type of team in the hospital setting.

I was going to ask if the dog can go in the OR with you but I see you answered that. Fascinating stuff and it's so great that your program has been so accommodating to you and your needs, kudos!!

 

[Wilf]

One of my attendings in residency said service dogs primarily help Axis II, not Axis I. This has been my observation also.

 

[AT Med Student]

I am also an aspiring medical student. I am glad that you wrote this forum because it makes me a little less stressed about med school. Your set up with the kennel is similar to mine. I put him in the kennel if there is a patient that is scared or allergic. 9 times out of 10 he goes with me in the room though. He sits in his corner and naps until he is needed.