I took a detour this week and visited the Medico-social work department. I was interested in what kinds of things they dealt with in order to get a better idea of what the hospital was like. They gave me a list of services and then mentioned what they do with dead bodies. At no point since I had set foot in the hospital had I thought about loss of life or death. There is really no indication in the hospital that people die, even when I've walked around the ICUs and wards. It kind of struck me how much I had failed to see this obvious aspect of the hospital, as I had spent so much time focused on getting appointments with doctors and observing their work as much as possible. I had nearly removed the patient from the equation, reducing them to an abstract concept I only get to ask the doctors about.
I also had the opportunity to observe a few surgeries. And by a few, I mean around seven. The call volume is so high at this hospital, I couldn't keep up with the doctor I had been following, but I managed to catch the beginning, middle, and end stages of various surgeries within a four or five hour span. At no point did I feel discomfort watching people go through these invasive procedures or feel squeamish about the blood, etc. I remember even thinking how desensitized I was to the human aspect of the surgery. I really didn't know the people or interact with them, so that might be a factor. It's strange, but I think it might be necessary to preform surgeries well. Again, seeing open abdomens, blood, unconscious bodies (some people were only anesthetized from the waist-down, so some semi-conscious bodies), death never really crossed my mind. Perhaps I have so much trust in these doctors myself, that I failed to realize this important factor in medicine and medical work. The people here are so good-natured and dedicated, it seems difficult for me to comprehend that things can go wrong. I may get the opportunity to follow a resident while she's on call next week, so maybe the late night shift will bring to light some new perspectives.
*"being human" shirts are really popular in India. I suspect it's because the hippie tourists from the west think it's really deep.
I also had the opportunity to observe a few surgeries. And by a few, I mean around seven. The call volume is so high at this hospital, I couldn't keep up with the doctor I had been following, but I managed to catch the beginning, middle, and end stages of various surgeries within a four or five hour span. At no point did I feel discomfort watching people go through these invasive procedures or feel squeamish about the blood, etc. I remember even thinking how desensitized I was to the human aspect of the surgery. I really didn't know the people or interact with them, so that might be a factor. It's strange, but I think it might be necessary to preform surgeries well. Again, seeing open abdomens, blood, unconscious bodies (some people were only anesthetized from the waist-down, so some semi-conscious bodies), death never really crossed my mind. Perhaps I have so much trust in these doctors myself, that I failed to realize this important factor in medicine and medical work. The people here are so good-natured and dedicated, it seems difficult for me to comprehend that things can go wrong. I may get the opportunity to follow a resident while she's on call next week, so maybe the late night shift will bring to light some new perspectives.
*"being human" shirts are really popular in India. I suspect it's because the hippie tourists from the west think it's really deep.
