Learning what it means to be sick

[han14tra]

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Ok, so I'm guessing I'm not going to get into Penn State. No problem though since I have Jefferson. However, I'm bummed out that I don't get to do the Patient Project.

Patient Project at Penn State

• If you have a continuing illness that affects your life, students will talk to you about your illness and treatments. They also speak with your family members and all information is kept confidential.

Can I take this into my own hands? I use to work with a guy that had pretty much constant pain, he had to quit his job because of it, and has become very dependent on others. He's had 6 failed surgeries in 3 years.

I still see him a lot even though I don't work with him anymore. We're not really "friends," but we talk. Usually the first thing he says to me when he sees me is something about his disability because he's really not handling it well. I've generally avoided talking to him about it because the one time I did, he cried and he never use to be someone to show his emotions.

Do you think it would be okay to ask if he'd be willing to talk to me about his disability? I genuinely just want to understand what it is like to live with a long-term illness/disability since I'm going into family medicine. How would you go about asking? Anything I need to be prepared for/careful about?

Thanks! Sorry...soo long.

 

[han14tra]

Still no replies🙁. Guess I should have used a catchier title😎. Or a shorter post?

 

[han14tra]

I'm impatient. Please answer me..someone...anyone:cry:

 

[Bacchus]

Jefferson does this.

 

[smq123]

Still no replies🙁. Guess I should have used a catchier title😎. Or a shorter post?

I'm impatient. Please answer me..someone...anyone:cry:

a) If you want to talk to your friend/co-worker about his chronic, debilitating illness, do so. But do NOT do so by saying, "I'm going to be a doctor; tell me about your debilitating illness." Try to bring it up naturally. The last thing you want to do is make him feel like a zoo animal on display.

b) If you're interested in something like this, volunteering with Jefferson's hospice organization (the name of which escapes me right now) may also be useful.

For fook's sake, you can't even wait a FULL HALF HOUR for a reply? Med school is going to be torture for you. You may be impatient, but learning patience is a valuable skill for any physician....even more so than listening to someone talk about his/her chronic illness.

 

[muggle911]

Do you think it would be okay to ask if he'd be willing to talk to me about his disability? I genuinely just want to understand what it is like to live with a long-term illness/disability since I'm going into family medicine. How would you go about asking? Anything I need to be prepared for/careful about?

Thanks! Sorry...soo long.

Your question isn't really clear. Why do you need the patient project to talk to someone. Just ask him if he needs a friend to talk to about his condition. The goal should be giving him an outlet to talk rather than you figuring out what it would be like to live with a long-term illness.
What should you be careful about? Not much, just make sure you aren't giving medical advice.

 

[han14tra]

Jefferson does this.

Jefferson has JeffMoms, Jeff Hope, and JeffKids. JeffMoms and JeffKids pair students with moms and homeless kids for short periods of time. JeffHope is providing care at a free clinic.

I don't think they put students with chronically ill people for 2-4 years. Correct if I'm wrong. That would be great if they did have this program.

 

[smq123]

Jefferson has JeffMoms, Jeff Hope, and JeffKids. JeffMoms and JeffKids pair students with moms and homeless kids for short periods of time. JeffHope is providing care at a free clinic.

I don't think they put students with chronically ill people for 2-4 years. Correct if I'm wrong. That would be great if they did have this program.

We have tons more than JeffMoms, JeffHOPE, and JeffKids. Like I mentioned, there are hospice organizations that some students volunteer at. I don't think we specifically have a program like the one that you're looking for, but if you're interested in it, you could always start your own. Lord knows there are plenty of chronically ill people in Philadelphia who would love the extra company.

 

[Bacchus]

http://jeffline.jefferson.edu/jcipe/hmp/

Health Mentors Program --

What is the Health Mentors Program? This is an opportunity for Jefferson students from the Medical College, School of Nursing, School of Pharmacy, School of Health Professions (occupational therapy and physical therapy) and the College of Graduate Students (public health) to learn FIRST HAND from a patient about things that really matter to patients living with chronic conditions.


You're welcome.

 

[starfishprime]

I genuinely just want to understand what it is like to live with a long-term illness/disability since I'm going into family medicine.

Do you honestly think you can understand disability by talking?
I sure hope you don't, because that'd be a very stupid thing to think.

 

[han14tra]

Bacchus and smq123..you both are great. Thanks so much!

 

[han14tra]

Do you honestly think you can understand disability by talking?
I sure hope you don't, because that'd be a very stupid thing to think.

I don't think I'll ever understand being disabled without actually living with it myself. However, I think I can understand it better than what I do know by talking.

 

[starfishprime]

I don't think I'll ever understand being disabled without actually living with it myself. However, I think I can understand it better than what I do know by talking.

Spend a few days in a wheelchair - that's a start. Not really, though.

 

[han14tra]

Jeff Health Mentors program. This unique program pairs two medical students, a nursing student and an occupational/physical therapy student with a chronically ill patient who will mentor the students on living with and treating their various ailments. Every medical, nursing, occupational therapy and physical therapy student matriculating at Jefferson will participate in this required curriculum.

It's even required (as of 2008)! I'm so excited.😍

 

[Bacchus]

If you're so eager to understand "debilitating illness", why don't you just go volunteer at a nursing home? You'll see more than enough people with Parksinsons, Alzheimers, cancer and other chronic debilitating illnesses.

Haha, you're anxious because people don't answer in 15 minutes? Maybe because some of us have 70-80 hours a week jobs where we're too busy working with real live patients and doing scutwork to have the time to be posting on forums. I'm only here today because it's my post-call day and I'm too tired to go out and have fun. Plus there's nothing good on tv today.

Congratulations. But, since we're on the pre-allopathic forum, most of the people here won't be taking care of patients or fathoming post-call freedom. They will, however, be thinking things such as the OP's original post. We don't have any base to stem feelings from at this point in time.

 

[han14tra]

Sorry. I think the pre-med process has made me impatient. I had to study a lot for my GPA, and I would have mini-anxiety attacks standing in line at the cafeteria or at the library because I constantly felt like I needed to study. Even now that I don't really have to study (soon after being accepted to med school, I discovered that I can study half as much for the same grades), I still feel guilty when I'm just waiting around.
Every second of my life must be productive. 😏

 

[SouthernSurgeon]

A bunch of schools have these kind of programs.

And...by your second semester of med school (or sooner, depending on your cynicism level), chances are you'll be sick of them and regard them as touchy-feely junk you have to do when you already feel strapped for time

 

[dw2158]

Haha, you're anxious because people don't answer in 15 minutes? Maybe because some of us have 70-80 hours a week jobs where we're too busy working with real live patients and doing scutwork to have the time to be posting on forums. I'm only here today because it's my post-call day and I'm too tired to go out and have fun. Plus there's nothing good on tv today.

i don't get it. you always come into pre-allo to post things like this. if you need to rant or prove how hard you work, talk to your friends. don't expect us pre-meds to

Congratulations. But, since we're on the pre-allopathic forum, most of the people here won't be taking care of patients or fathoming post-call freedom. They will, however, be thinking things such as the OP's original post. We don't have any base to stem feelings from at this point in time.

👍👍

Still no replies🙁. Guess I should have used a catchier title😎. Or a shorter post?

or a less annoying font? 😉

anyway, this is just my opinion, but... this "talk to patients about their chronic illness over long periods of time" seems like one of those things that sounds super good when you're applying but will actually not be so great once you're in school. personally, i would start to feel like that was taking time away from my studying/being productive. kind of like how many people feel about PBL (obviously this is not the same, but you get the idea). time is so precious in med school; why not spend it as wisely as possible? i mean, if you think this would tremendously help you then that's one thing, but i kinda doubt it.

 

[han14tra]

I agree that the timing of meeting with chronically ill patients and the scant number of sessions (4 a year at Jeff) won't do a lot. I like the whole "Tuesdays with Morrie" idea, but it would be better to do over a summer (maybe 1x a week)

 

[Bacchus]

I'm glad you recognize there is a difference in education.