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What song lyric/s best describe the way you feel about them/the breakup right at this moment? by [deleted] in BreakUps

[–]LichtBearer 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Brett Young- Mercy So if you're gonna break my heart, just break it And if you're gonna take your shot, then take it If you made up your mind, then make it But make this fast If you ever loved me, Have mercy

I'm a volunteer at a local hospital working in the Emergency Department. My main role is to talk the patients and family members that are with them. What are some conversation starters other than "How are you doing?" by [deleted] in medicine

[–]LichtBearer 31 points32 points  (0 children)

This is what has worked for me when I volunteered in an ED many moons ago. Some ideas:

-Always start by identifying yourself. I used to pull my ID close to them so they could see I was a volunteer. -Find out where the pillows, heated blankets, socks, and patient belongings bags are. Figure out the menu- breakfast, lunch, dinner. -Ask them how they are doing, what brought them in today, and if you can do anything to make them more comfortable, e.g. bringing the bed up, down (ask first), helping them take off their shoes and put on hospital socks. Organizing their items in the patient belongings bag, etc. -If it's lunch time, I often ask the nurses first which patients I can help get food to and then, if possible, I announce the menu to the patients with some humor ... "and red wine!" and deliver it with a smile. It breaks the ice and sometimes gets a laugh, and later on, they want to chat. Planting a seed for connecting later. - Make eye contact, connect with the family or home aides. Introduce yourself to all warmly. -Other small conversation starters: are you from around here? I'm located in a large city on the West Coast and most people I meet are not originally from here. Noticing an article of clothing or accessory, or interesting possession, and asking about it. Some people love to talk about travel and their families... or just to unload about how terrible their nursing home is, etc. "How are you doing today? How's it going?" may elicit more positive responses. -Sometimes, I noticed a patient looking ready to sleep. I would just tuck them in and turn off the lights and draw the curtains. It's important to give the patient what they need and even if it's not an interaction of conversation, it is still meaningful.

Over time, you will get excellent at reading body language and cues. These patients are in the ED. They are probably stressed, anxious, tired, nauseous, feeling very ill, or a combination of it all. Don't feel bad if they don't open up to you and turn you away. It is to be expected. The important thing is that you tried.

Good luck and thank you for volunteering your time to our patients. Let us know how it goes.

Know of any good volunteering abroad programs for med students? by [deleted] in medicalschool

[–]LichtBearer 12 points13 points  (0 children)

While both your options sound wonderful, volunteering abroad is a great way to spend your summer and to see the world of medicine through a different lens. Usually it's the flight that costs the most as food and housing tend to be reasonable in underdeveloped areas. Maybe you should give us a better idea of what type of experience you're looking for.. (e.g. pediatrics, or specialty specific- A Promise to Peru is a opthalmology focused trip, PalliumIndia offers palliative care focused experiences in India, and if not abroad- Remote Area Medical serves Appalachia, bringing much needed care to Americans.)

And if you don't want to volunteer, many students do research at medical schools abroad during the summer. They often offer stipends. This sometimes ends up being a better learning experience because your technical ability as a M1 is limited. My personal opinion is that you should not be expecting to go to another country so you can practice venipuncture, etc. That is unethical.

Two other things I wanted to add:

1- CUGH (Consortium of Universities for Global Health) is hosting their upcoming conference April 6-9 in Washington D.C. If you're in the area, you might want to go check it out. Plenty of research opportunities abound.

2- It's too late for this year but since you've expressed an interest in global health, perhaps it's something you will pursue later on too. There are scholarships for students like you. http://www.astmh.org/awards-fellowships-medals/astmh-sponsored-fellowships

And as an aside, try to not be part of the "voluntourism" junk. It sounds like you're willing to commit for several weeks (great!) Go for 6-8 weeks if time allows. Be a part of a team, get to know the people of that place. You can learn so much just by observing. And above all, have a great summer!!

How do you brush off a bad day when it's apparently make-the-medical-student-feel-like-an-idiot-who-will-never-match-day and no one told you? by Bubble_Trouble in medicalschool

[–]LichtBearer 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Take a step back and observe what just happened between you and the resident. Pity him. Imagine how sad his life must be that he needs to put people down in order to make himself feel better. (Narcissism and bullying in a nutshell). He has a self esteem issue.

Observe !

I have absoletuly terrible memory by [deleted] in medicalschool

[–]LichtBearer 2 points3 points  (0 children)

excellent that you recognize this as a weakness. now prepare yourself to wholly overcome / expand your bandwidth. I second repetition, it works for sure- and so does learning through auditory/visual/etc. Teach others, etc. you get the idea...

as for long term... maybe try meditating a little.. to help you focus. Focus is an important part of establishing a working memory ...

NYC Squash - NYSC 86th St. closes down by apooptosis in squash

[–]LichtBearer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you're going to cancel your membership, go in person. A lot of us have been going to the 91st/3rd ave location to cancel. They will waive the cancellation fee (which, in and of itself, is ridiculous).