Peds bedside manner learned in school or in experience?

[Aeh88]

Hello everyone,


I am a med school/pediatrician hopeful and I know they do some sensitivity/bedside manner training in med school but it's not often I see that in MOST doctors. I recently had a new pediatrician for my children as the one they've had their entire lives retired. She has been practicing for longer than I've been alive and my stranger shy children took an immediate liking to her. No struggle for a physical exam no whining no separation anxiety from me and I was amazed! They hugged her before we left. These are not my children! (jokingly)She was so incredibly kind and engaging with them that it occurred to me that not every doctor has this kind of "magic" especially not with kids. Is there a special class or training for bedside manner with children? Or is this something a pediatrician gains over the years? Is there a book I can buy? As always thank you for you time reading this and your responses.

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[NickNaylor]

The "training" of appropriate bedside manner is pretty limited, and I'm skeptical of how much it can actually do to change someone's behavior. It may be something learned during training, but it's also just an intrinsic aspect of your personality. In other words, nice, caring, compassionate people will generally make nice, caring, and compassionate physicians. People that don't care about people or are not invested in the human condition likely won't.

How effective do you imagine a couple of hours of lectures on "being nice" could possibly be?

 

[NachoPlatter]

Work customer service/retail/serving for a while where your money is dependent on your "bedside" manner and you will quickly learn how to be pleasant and jovial.

 

[sliceofbread136]

The "training" of appropriate bedside manner is pretty limited, and I'm skeptical of how much it can actually do to change someone's behavior. It may be something learned during training, but it's also just an intrinsic aspect of your personality. In other words, nice, caring, compassionate people will generally make nice, caring, and compassionate physicians. People that don't care about people or are not invested in the human condition likely won't.

How effective do you imagine a couple of hours of lectures on "being nice" could possibly be?

Do you pick up anything from your attendings during m3/4/residency? I'm hoping some great doctors will rub off on me

 

[Aeh88]

I see what you're saying Nick. I just assumed that people who weren't genuwinley in it for the outcome of patients but the income from patients would be weeded out by adcom or washed out by med school.

 

[WedgeDawg]

The "training" of appropriate bedside manner is pretty limited, and I'm skeptical of how much it can actually do to change someone's behavior. It may be something learned during training, but it's also just an intrinsic aspect of your personality. In other words, nice, caring, compassionate people will generally make nice, caring, and compassionate physicians. People that don't care about people or are not invested in the human condition likely won't.

How effective do you imagine a couple of hours of lectures on "being nice" could possibly be?

I would imagine that there are people who are compassionate and caring who also just have an abrasive personality for whatever reason. I would also imagine that during their clinical training, if they witness positive bedside interactions between their preceptors and their patients, they might think, "Wow, the way that doctor interacted with that patient really helped them feel comfortable and secure. That's what I want to emulate in my interactions with my own patients!"

Obviously this requires the student to be introspective and receptive to changing behavior, but I like to think that people can improve their behavior if they recognize what needs to be changed and what they should strive towards.

 

[Aeh88]

I guess I just assumed that peds patients would be harder than adult patients in that aspect???

 

[Aeh88]

I would imagine that there are people who are compassionate and caring who also just have an abrasive personality for whatever reason. I would also imagine that during their clinical training, if they witness positive bedside interactions between their preceptors and their patients, they might think, "Wow, the way that doctor interacted with that patient really helped them feel comfortable and secure. That's what I want to emulate in my interactions with my own patients!"

Obviously this requires the student to be introspective and receptive to changing behavior, but I like to think that people can improve their behavior if they recognize what needs to be changed and what they should strive towards.

I love this answer. Thank you.

 

[NickNaylor]

Do you pick up anything from your attendings during m3/4/residency? I'm hoping some great doctors will rub off on me

Sure, but it requires careful observation and reflection on the kind of physician you want to be. Once you get into the clinics and on the wards, you'll see all kinds of behavior by both trainees and attendings - good and bad. Try and internalize the good stuff while rejecting the bad. Try and hang on to that feeling of how you perceived medicine before you got neck deep into it. I think if you do those things and put them into practice you're more likely to be a "good" physician.

@Aeh88 It's not really just about the "income." It's just that there are many things pulling you in a variety of directions and applying pressures that direct you away from patient care. It can be difficult to remain caring and compassionate in the face of those things. There are also people that are more interested in other aspects of medicine (most commonly research) beyond patient care. Those people still need to go through medical school and generally residency, even if the interpersonal aspect of medicine isn't all that appealing to them.

 

[sazerac]

I guess I just assumed that peds patients would be harder than adult patients in that aspect???

It's not the patients that are difficult in peds. It's their parents.

 

[NeuResurgens]

I think bedside manner is more learned in experience than in class, and for this reason, types of patient interactions will be a factor in which personalities pick which specialties. Pediatricians often become Pediatricians precisely because they love kids and are good with them (although every specialty has exceptions).

 

[WingedOx]

training... started in med school... became competent in residency.

 

[Jagon]

It's all intuitive and personality based. Not something you can learn in med school or residency. Either you have it or you don't.

 

[Ismet]

As someone going into peds, I think a good part of it is a personality that you already have coming in. You cultivate your bedside manner through clinical years of med school and residency, but there's really only so much that you can change your personality. You don't need to have "magic" with kids, but you need to like kids, be able to get down on their level, and try to see the world from their eyes, engaging them in an age-appropriate way. You have children, so you are likely ahead of the game in that sense.

Also it gives you an excuse to carry cute stuff, like my giraffe reflex hammer that gives knee kisses.

 

[Catalystik]

Also it gives you an excuse to carry cute stuff, like my giraffe reflex hammer that gives knee kisses.

And a tiny (washable) kitten with flashing eyes on one's stethoscope.

 

[Ismet]

And a tiny (washable) kitten with flashing eyes on one's stethoscope.

I have a duck that quacks

 

[Catalystik]

I have a duck that quacks

Niiice! I'm jelly.

 

[DokterMom]

This is going to sound really stupid (have mercy on me SDN), but I've found something that really warms up other people's perceptions of me and improves my interactions with new people is when I think to myself "I'm SO happy to meet you / I'm SO glad you're here!" right before meeting them, and "I REALLY like you! / I really CARE about you" in the early minutes of the interaction. Somehow, that seems to come through.

 

[NonTradJp]

I want to say this. Some people can be good at sales and retail and be terrible people person. Sales and retail generally have short timelines and you can fake it for a bit. But deep character development is needed for long term and consistent success at being a people person whether it is in sales or medicine.

One tip is to get eye engagement. That really helps with the young ones. Watch different people do it helps too. Watch the eyes, the timing of the smiles and the cheer in the voice.

 

[Goro]

I think it's innate. I remember seeing in ours Peds labs our students who you k new were destined NOT to be Pediatricians. They always held the kids like they were filled with explosives!

Hello everyone,


I am a med school/pediatrician hopeful and I know they do some sensitivity/bedside manner training in med school but it's not often I see that in MOST doctors. I recently had a new pediatrician for my children as the one they've had their entire lives retired. She has been practicing for longer than I've been alive and my stranger shy children took an immediate liking to her. No struggle for a physical exam no whining no separation anxiety from me and I was amazed! They hugged her before we left. These are not my children! (jokingly)She was so incredibly kind and engaging with them that it occurred to me that not every doctor has this kind of "magic" especially not with kids. Is there a special class or training for bedside manner with children? Or is this something a pediatrician gains over the years? Is there a book I can buy? As always thank you for you time reading this and your responses.

 

[blackroses]

I think it's innate. I remember seeing in ours Peds labs our students who you k new were destined NOT to be Pediatricians. They always held the kids like they were filled with explosives!

There are not enough "likes" in the world for this!

(Also, they are explosives. Poop- and vomit-filled explosives!)

I think I can safely say that I'm destined not to be a pediatrician!

 

[Ismet]

There are not enough "likes" in the world for this!

(Also, they are explosives. Poop- and vomit-filled explosives!)

I think I can safely say that I'm destined not to be a pediatrician!

Adults are also poop and vomit filled explosives, but it's much less cute when that happens.

 

[blackroses]

Adults are also poop and vomit filled explosives, but it's much less cute when that happens.

Yes but as a general rule, adults have the courtesy to aim their vomit and poop away from you, babies do not!

 

[Ismet]

Yes but as a general rule, adults have the courtesy to aim their vomit and poop away from you, babies do not!

Don't be so sure. Wait until you experience your first code brown in the OR.

 

[Aeh88]

I think it's innate. I remember seeing in ours Peds labs our students who you k new were destined NOT to be Pediatricians. They always held the kids like they were filled with explosives!

Ha ha ha . That's too funny.

 

[Aeh88]

As someone going into peds, I think a good part of it is a personality that you already have coming in. You cultivate your bedside manner through clinical years of med school and residency, but there's really only so much that you can change your personality. You don't need to have "magic" with kids, but you need to like kids, be able to get down on their level, and try to see the world from their eyes, engaging them in an age-appropriate way. You have children, so you are likely ahead of the game in that sense.

Also it gives you an excuse to carry cute stuff, like my giraffe reflex hammer that gives knee kisses.

I bet that makes things much less scary and the kids more willing. Great response.

 

[NonTradJp]

I always told my wife if I get to be a peds I want to wear those colorful scrubs with trucks and bears on them. I hope my dream comes true.