Dear Student Clinician,
Congratulations on completing the pre-clinical medical education coursework that will serve as the foundation of your clinical knowledge. All the seemingly random knowledge you forced yourself to master in each module will be the foundation upon which you develop your clinical knowledge. You will have amazing and impactful patient experiences. They will be nothing like the standardized patients you have seen in the past. None of your patients will be actors, they will be real human beings with real problems. As the student clinician, you will be their advocate. You’ll get to spend so much time with them. From explaining their pathology and treatment to listening to their life story, your time will be a gift that most residents and attendings simply won’t have.
Undoubtedly, there will be emotionally heavy moments. My heaviest moment took place during a trauma shift where an unrestrained young boy was involved in a motor vehicle collision and had significant injuries. His father was also injured in the crash and in a bed right next to him inside the trauma bay. But they were too far apart to hold hands. His father could only use his words to comfort his son. Everyone else on the team, from the technicians to the nurses to the residents were busy treating everything else that needed attention. Meanwhile, I just stood there just watching everything unfold. I felt powerless, that I couldn’t do anything to help. I hated that feeling so I offered him all I had, which was to squeeze my hand as tight as he possibly could. He held my hand so tightly; I’ll never forget his grip. I stayed with him from the trauma bay, into the CT scanner, and back into his room until he was transferred out to the pediatric floor. That was the first time during my rotation that I felt a real connection to a patient. Later on, I wondered about what would’ve happened if I hadn’t been there, would someone else have offered to be there with him? The thoughts made me reflect about my own loved ones if anyone would bring them comfort if they were alone in a trauma bay and in need. But as medical students that’s our job. We have earned our place alongside the team of professionals that provide care in a patient’s most critical and life-changing moments.
It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to what will be the most unforgettable year of your medical education and quite possibly your life.
-Javier Hernandez
Author: Javi Hernandez Photograph: courtesy of Javi Hernandez