So something happened today that pissed me off. And the more I think about it, the more it makes me mad. So I'm all for patient comfort. And I'm all about minimizing disruptions so that patients can sleep. And treating people like people. And doing whatever is necessary to make patients happy. Within reason. Even if it means I'm inconvenienced.
But I'm on Heme/Onc Peds right now. Which of course we have many patients on long term chemotherapy, study regimens, experimental drugs, etc. And a few have simply decided that they don't want to be bothered by medical students. They refuse to let them in their rooms or talk to them or whatever. Even to the point where some patients have put up "no med student" signs. Needless to say, this really bugs the shit out of me.
Why? Lets put aside for a second the UNGODLY amount of money I'm paying in order to be exposed to patients and for clinical learning. But these people came to a TEACHING hospital. Meaning they are getting the benefit of having an entire team mull over their case every day. They get to be in a research hospital where new and better treatments are being investigated. And where they get the benefit of having free treatment in many cases. But when it comes to returning the favor.... by letting others learn to potentially benefit others... they refuse. Stating that it's too bothersome to have multiple people in the room or multiple questions asked every day.
And what really pisses me off is that many attendings simply adhere to these requests and refuse to let us in. Which burns me even more.
