Prison Healthcare Experiences

[type12]

Are there any physicians who have provided their services in prison? How was it? Are there serious safety concerns? What motivated you to do it?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Dral]

I did this almost daily on my family medicine rotation during 3rd year of med school and sorta during a derm audition rotation.

1. Do not carry in any objects that could be used against you. One pen if necessary. Try to minimize everything else.

2. Do not ever let a prisoner get between you and the door.

3. Where I was, prisoners got to address one concern per visit (they had to 'pay' for each visit, so many would try to get as much done as possible to avoid multiple visits so they could instead use their money to buy better food or cigarettes).


It is very intimidating the first day. You get used to it though. I'm glad to say I got to experience it.

 

[type12]

I did this almost daily on my family medicine rotation during 3rd year of med school and sorta during a derm audition rotation.

1. Do not carry in any objects that could be used against you. One pen if necessary. Try to minimize everything else.

2. Do not ever let a prisoner get between you and the door.

3. Where I was, prisoners got to address one concern per visit (they had to 'pay' for each visit, so many would try to get as much done as possible to avoid multiple visits so they could instead use their money to buy better food or cigarettes).


It is very intimidating the first day. You get used to it though. I'm glad to say I got to experience it.

Thanks! Was it just required, or did something motivate you to do it? Any interesting stories, or was it like any other rotation with a bit more caution?

 

[Dral]

It both instances it was required. I'm not sure if I would voluntarily do it now or not.

One of the interesting things that happened is when we had to go see pts on lockdown. We would walk to the unit and be escorted by a guard to the pt's room. The patients were always shackled, which made for some interesting physical exams.

As a med student, I had a decent amount of independence...it's actually the first place I can rememer developing a spark of an interest in my future specialty.

I remember dealing with one inmate who was mentally ill and on a hunger strike. He spoke in the language of obscenities...he was not a happy camper.

Luckily, I don't have too many crazy stories from those experiences.

 

[DermViser]

It both instances it was required. I'm not sure if I would voluntarily do it now or not.

One of the interesting things that happened is when we had to go see pts on lockdown. We would walk to the unit and be escorted by a guard to the pt's room. The patients were always shackled, which made for some interesting physical exams.

As a med student, I had a decent amount of independence...it's actually the first place I can rememer developing a spark of an interest in my future specialty.

I remember dealing with one inmate who was mentally ill and on a hunger strike. He spoke in the language of obscenities...he was not a happy camper.

Luckily, I don't have too many crazy stories from those experiences.

Wow, that's a first. Your personal statement must have been quite different!

 

[Dral]

I did include it in my personal statement. It was a small lipoma excision on an inmate's back. Ok, the scar may have not been the best result, but it wasn't horrible...and it made the inmate look tougher/gave him more cred.

 

[type12]

I did include it in my personal statement. It was a small lipoma excision on an inmate's back. Ok, the scar may have not been the best result, but it wasn't horrible...and it made the inmate look tougher/gave him more cred.

LMAO! Physician prison tats, most legit cred.

 

[DermViser]

I did include it in my personal statement. It was a small lipoma excision on an inmate's back. Ok, the scar may have not been the best result, but it wasn't horrible...and it made the inmate look tougher/gave him more cred.

Sweet!

 

[Dral]

It was insane. I had never even stitched a patient...it was like my second or third rotation of third year. The doc Iwas working with goes "Ok, this is a lipoma, Numb him up and go ahead and make an incision here and take it out, then put in about 3 vertical matress stitches and 5 or 6 interrupteds. I'll be in the other room if you need me".

Then he just walked out. I was literally sweating like crazy. Lukily there was a very experienced nurse there helping me.

 

[Dral]

It wasn't 'see one, do one, teach one'. It was just 'do one'. haha

 

[DermViser]

It was insane. I had never even stitched a patient...it was like my second or third rotation of third year. The doc Iwas working with goes "Ok, this is a lipoma, Numb him up and go ahead and make an incision here and take it out, then put in about 3 vertical matress stitches and 5 or 6 interrupteds. I'll be in the other room if you need me".

Then he just walked out. I was literally sweating like crazy. Lukily there was a very experienced nurse there helping me.

Yikes!!! In 3rd year no less!!! Did you have Surgery before that rotation so you knew (theoretically) how to suture?

 

[Dral]

Yikes!!! In 3rd year no less!!! Did you have Surgery before that rotation so you knew (theoretically) how to suture?

Nope. I think Peds was the only thing I had prior to that. I think we had some type of surgery workshop at the beginning of third year where we learned suturing. That's the only experience I had. Luckily I paid close attention.