Comments on: A Professional Patient http://www.docgurley.com/2008/10/08/professional-patient/ Posts from an Insane Healthcare System Thu, 11 Mar 2010 02:55:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Mike Hunt http://www.docgurley.com/2008/10/08/professional-patient/comment-page-1/#comment-28248 Mike Hunt Thu, 10 Dec 2009 03:34:32 +0000 http://www.docgurley.com/?p=765#comment-28248 I was a professional male patient at the Univ. of Il School of Medicine. I gave the medical students feedback on hernia exams and digital rectal exams. I wanted to be able to give feedback to the students because I remembered being nervous and embarassed during my first DRE. The doctor who performed my first exam made jokes about how small his fingers were. It made me feel uncomfortable. I let the med students know that the dialogue they have can either put the patient at ease or make them uncomfortable. As a professional patient, I can critique their technique and give constructive feedback. making them more confident physicians. I was a professional male patient at the Univ. of Il School of Medicine. I gave the medical students feedback on hernia exams and digital rectal exams.
I wanted to be able to give feedback to the students because I remembered being nervous and embarassed during my first DRE. The doctor who performed my first exam made jokes about how small his fingers were. It made me feel uncomfortable. I let the med students know that the dialogue they have can either put the patient at ease or make them uncomfortable. As a professional patient, I can critique their technique and give constructive feedback. making them more confident physicians.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.docgurley.com/2008/10/08/professional-patient/comment-page-1/#comment-2484 Anonymous Thu, 09 Oct 2008 11:04:41 +0000 http://www.docgurley.com/?p=765#comment-2484 I did once let a nurse try to draw blood several times on me at my doctor's office. She was new and knew the theory fine, just a bit off in the delivery. She was very apologetic, but I figured I was probably more patient than most and everyone needs to practice when they are first learning things (plus, I am sure her hubby whom she volunteered as a pin cushion to practice on later after the third or fourth try probably appreciated her trying it out on someone else first.) Yes, there should be professional patients to help doctors hone their skills on someone else before trying it for real on me. However, patients should also realize that if they have an interesting case that other doctors may stop by if their ailment is unusual. Hubby severed a thumb tendon in a freak accident and had quite a room full of hand and ortho docs stopping by to watch them piece him back together. It wasn't something the young docs saw everyday (he joked he should have charged admission....) but his thumb was a learning experience for many for many people that day. I did once let a nurse try to draw blood several times on me at my doctor’s office. She was new and knew the theory fine, just a bit off in the delivery. She was very apologetic, but I figured I was probably more patient than most and everyone needs to practice when they are first learning things (plus, I am sure her hubby whom she volunteered as a pin cushion to practice on later after the third or fourth try probably appreciated her trying it out on someone else first.)

Yes, there should be professional patients to help doctors hone their skills on someone else before trying it for real on me. However, patients should also realize that if they have an interesting case that other doctors may stop by if their ailment is unusual. Hubby severed a thumb tendon in a freak accident and had quite a room full of hand and ortho docs stopping by to watch them piece him back together. It wasn’t something the young docs saw everyday (he joked he should have charged admission….) but his thumb was a learning experience for many for many people that day.

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