It is human to make mistakes. Without a doubt, I believe that statement to be true. However, it is very hard to accept that I personally will make mistakes as a physician. I certainly have made plenty of small, relatively inconsequential mistakes, so I try to tell myself that I won’t make the big mistakes. The mistakes that cost lives. I try to hold myself to this impossible standard, because it is incredibly scary to imagine harming patients because of a mistake that I made. It is hard to imagine how I would live with myself as a person, and as a clinician after a mistake like that happens.

This is why it has been so incredible to hear personal stories about mistakes that were made by good physicians, who had only the best intentions. It is one thing to hear that “it’s okay to make mistakes”, and totally another… Continue reading →

Today was an amazing day, full of thought-provoking discussions. One of the minor points of discussion was the electronic medical record, and the sheer amount of information that it gives us. I think that the EMR can provide a false sense of complacency, and this can be a very dangerous thing for doctors and their patients. At the beginning of intern year, I spent at least an hour before rounds reviewing everything in the chart, then going to see my patients with the small amount of time left before rounds. Now, I go see my patients first, and then use the rest of the time to review the charts. Sometimes, this means I don’t get to read every bit of information in the chart, BUT I do get to spend an adequate amount of time with the patients and their nurses. There is so much information that does not end… Continue reading →

Hello everyone!

 

I am really looking forward to the Marseille Experience. I am especially excited for the education about patient advocacy and safety, topics which are sometimes undervalued in the demanding context of residency programs. Few things amaze me more than the amount of trust that patients place in their physicians; patients trust us with their health, their wellbeing, and often their lives. That trust inspires me to continuously strive to become a better physician. Improving patient safety is one of the most important ways that we can safeguard the trust that patients place in their medical team. I am also looking forward to the collaboration with other healthcare professionals from diverse backgrounds, which can provide different viewpoints of various issues.