I LOVE it here! It is HOT, today it got up to 116, but i'm not complaining. I am meeting tons of people, getting some awesome riding in with Team Strada, swimming like crazy and really getting in to the best shape of my life. I'm finally acclimating to the dry heat and my lungs don't feel like they're going to explode anymore after 3 miles.
I'm working in a Family practice clinic this month in Mesa. It's been somewhat interesting this first week for several reasons. My doc is one of those docs that is very old school (he's like 75) and isn't really keen on change. He's a good doctor, but he's also doing things the same way they were done 30 years ago when he started practicing. So, I've been struggling to find my grove with him and really get a great experience out of it. The awesome thing is that 80% of the people we see are spanish speaking only. Awesome because I get to practice my spanish a lot, which is a big reason I came out here. But aside from the spanish, i'm working with my admin to possibly get switched. I'm really not getting the experience I should be getting as a 3rd year student in this clinic. So I'm trying to learn as much as I can without getting frustrated. After all, I'm with another guy at another clinic in 3 weeks.
Although I'm not really practicing my physical doctor skills really yet, I have learned a lot about people. When I say people, I'm talking about the low income population of patients that we see. Most of the people are at least well informed about their health and are actively trying to remain healthy or get healthier. But a small percentage just don't care. Most of the time, they only come see us because they hurt and want meds. No matter how many times you tell them that a pill won't fix the pain, the only thing that will make them better is a complete life style change, they don't listen. They don't want to listen. I was surprised by the number of patients that don't listen to anything we say, they just want to walk out of the office with some form of prescription, for anything because they think it will fix their problem. Of course not all are that way, but a larger number than I was expecting. I've had to tell patients that they might as well save themselves the copay if they're not willing to listen and try to understand what the docs are really saying to them. Of course I'm compassionate and try to see their side and realize how difficult it is...but some patients admit they just want pills. Not even narcotics, its a psychological thing. They feel they will actually get better with a pill, even if we both know it won't help them much. I'm quickly learning that people think differently when they get "sick". Maybe its the way the healthcare system works in this country and the expectations put on doctors and medicine. But it is something I don't think we'll ever understand. People are funny, weird, mean, awesome, rude, and then some. Sometimes you just have to laugh to stop yourself from going crazy trying to keep up with all of them.
But I'm def enjoying life right now and working out a ton to balance out the crazies at work :-)
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