Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

During the holidays, our goal should be to provide a holiday for our patients

Scrub, MD
Education
August 6, 2011
181 Shares
Share
Tweet
Share

During Christmas holidays, many medical students, interns, and residents will not be celebrating the holidays with their families. Instead, they will be on call, or night shifts, or just long schedules, taking care of patients.

For life and death, sickness and health, do not take holidays, and nor should our compassion for taking care of those who are in trying times. I recall working last year on Christmas Eve at the VA on an inpatient medicine rotation. Trust me, the VA hospital is probably close to the last place you want to be almost any time of the year, let alone Christmas. It is strange to say that in some ways. For the most part, the patients, staff, and doctors are all nice and well-intentioned. However, the VA simply is not home, and everyone should be home for the holidays, patients and providers alike.

But, as said above, illness does not care for such sentimental notions, so we must make do. The staff had put up a Christmas tree, and many patients’ families came by with gifts or just to spend time with their loved ones. For that’s what we as human beings do: we adapt. We make the best of what we have. We pull together and create a sense of family and home in even the most trying of situations. A diagnosis of cancer or heart failure or AIDS is not tantamount to a diagnosis of ill spirit. Although the patient may not see the promise that their life still holds, it is up to the caregiver to gently nudge them towards making the most of their time, whether they have days, months, or decades left. To do so, we must put aside our selves and our desires and truly empathize with the patient.

To be honest, going into the hospital that day, I had no intention of empathizing with anyone. It was a pity party: who was empathizing with me, the woeful intern stuck in the hospital when everyone else was at home relaxing or making merry? Yes, the cynicism of intern year had set in. But as the day progressed, I realized some of the ideas described above. If anything, it was one of the better days of the month – there truly was a festive spirit in the air. Like Scrooge, my cold heart mellowed. What would I really have done with the day off? Likely not much, nor did I have any grand plans. Instead, I ended up spending the day casually rounding (no conferences or discharges to worry / stress me), meeting the often-mentioned-but-never-seen almost mythical family members. The patients were happier around loved ones, sharing stories and laughs, letting me peak into their actual lives. We could all put aside worrying about lab results and planned procedures, and simply enjoy the presence of being together.

And ultimately, that is what medicine should be about. It should be about providing a sense of support for those in a time of weakness, whether that be mental or physical. Being the surrogate family when one’s own family is not around. Throughout that day, as the clock slowly moved forward to my own departure from the hospital, I was reminded of the transient nature of my presence there. Sure, I could bemoan my lot, stuck there, but hey, at least I got to go home at some point. None of the patients were leaving that day, and many would not leave for many more days. Whether Christmas Eve or any other day, our role should be the same: providing a supportive environment to help the patient heal themselves,  both physically and mentally/spiritually, for a true physician should care for the totality of the patient, not merely their lab values or functional status. During the holidays, our goal as providers should be to provide a holiday worth remembering for our patients, which coincidentally should become a holiday we cherish ourselves.

“Scrub, MD” is a recent medical graduate and currently a resident physician who blogs at Scrub Notes.

Submit a guest post and be heard on social media’s leading physician voice.

Prev

Being a patient is an unforgettable form of medical education

August 6, 2011 Kevin 16
…
Next

Call Day from ZDoggMD

August 6, 2011 Kevin 0
…

Tagged as: Hospital-Based Medicine, Medical school, Residency

Post navigation

< Previous Post
Being a patient is an unforgettable form of medical education
Next Post >
Call Day from ZDoggMD

More by Scrub, MD

  • a desk with keyboard and ipad with the kevinmd logo

    Can pit crews really heal medicine?

    Scrub, MD
  • a desk with keyboard and ipad with the kevinmd logo

    Why doctors should pursue another degree

    Scrub, MD
  • a desk with keyboard and ipad with the kevinmd logo

    Apple iPad, Amazon Kindle, or the Nook for medical students

    Scrub, MD

More in Education

  • The pros and cons of taking a gap year during medical school

    Med School Insiders
  • Breaking the silence: the truth about mental health challenges among medical students and why medical schools must take action

    Erin Waldrop
  • Breaking the stigma: Encouraging mental health help-seeking in medical trainees

    Anonymous
  • I’m not so different from Lionel Messi – and neither are you

    Lauren Tien
  • 6 ways ChatGPT can help you succeed in medical school

    Drew Bergman
  • Is it time to say goodbye to medical school rankings?

    James Goldchild
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Physician entrepreneurs offer hope for burned out doctors

      Cindy Rubin, MD | Physician
    • Why doctors aren’t to blame for the U.S. opioid crisis [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • The power of coaching for physicians: transforming thoughts, changing lives

      Kim Downey, PT | Conditions
    • The hidden factor in physician burnout: How the climate crisis is contributing to the erosion of well-being

      Elizabeth Cerceo, MD | Physician
    • Unlocking the secrets of cancer conferences: an end-of-life counselor’s journey among pharmaceutical giants

      Althea Halchuck, EJD | Conditions
    • We need a new Hippocratic Oath that puts patient autonomy first

      Jeffrey A. Singer, MD | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • “Is your surgeon really skilled? The hidden threat to public safety in medicine.

      Gene Uzawa Dorio, MD | Physician
    • It’s time to replace the 0 to 10 pain intensity scale with a better measure

      Mark Sullivan, MD and Jane Ballantyne, MD | Conditions
    • Breaking point: the 5 reasons American doctors are dreaming of walking away from medicine

      Amol Shrikhande, MD | Physician
    • Revolutionize your practice: the value-based care model that reduces physician burnout

      Chandravadan Patel, MD | Physician
    • Breaking the cycle of racism in health care: a call for anti-racist action

      Tomi Mitchell, MD | Policy
    • Unveiling the hidden damage: the secretive world of medical boards

      Alan Lindemann, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Master time management with 7 productivity strategies for optimal results

      Farzana Hoque, MD | Physician
    • Proposed USPSTF guideline update: Advocating for earlier breast cancer screening at age 40

      Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian | Conditions
    • The rising threat of lung cancer in Asian American female nonsmokers

      Alice S. Y. Lee, MD | Conditions
    • The tragic story of Mr. G: a painful journey towards understanding suicide

      William Lynes, MD | Physician
    • Healing trauma and reconnecting: Unmasking the impact of dissociation [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Why the WHO’s pandemic accord is critical for global health care

      Elizabeth Métraux | Policy

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

Leave a Comment

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

CME Spotlights

From MedPage Today

Latest News

  • Pricey Drug Combo Boosts PFS in First-Line Advanced Ovarian Cancer
  • Kidneys on Ice; Improving Outcomes for Smaller Strokes
  • When You Know Better, Do Better for People With Disabilities
  • Could Semaglutide Help Curb Addictive Behaviors?
  • 'If the Narcan Isn't Working, Give More' and Other Myths About Naloxone Use

Meeting Coverage

  • Pricey Drug Combo Boosts PFS in First-Line Advanced Ovarian Cancer
  • Cardiovascular Risk Models Still Fall Short for Arthritis Patients
  • De-Escalated Surgery Suffices for Low-Risk Cervical Cancer
  • More Evidence Backs Gout Benefit for Gliflozin Agents
  • Reaction to FDA's Approval of Upadacitinib for Crohn's Disease
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Physician entrepreneurs offer hope for burned out doctors

      Cindy Rubin, MD | Physician
    • Why doctors aren’t to blame for the U.S. opioid crisis [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • The power of coaching for physicians: transforming thoughts, changing lives

      Kim Downey, PT | Conditions
    • The hidden factor in physician burnout: How the climate crisis is contributing to the erosion of well-being

      Elizabeth Cerceo, MD | Physician
    • Unlocking the secrets of cancer conferences: an end-of-life counselor’s journey among pharmaceutical giants

      Althea Halchuck, EJD | Conditions
    • We need a new Hippocratic Oath that puts patient autonomy first

      Jeffrey A. Singer, MD | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • “Is your surgeon really skilled? The hidden threat to public safety in medicine.

      Gene Uzawa Dorio, MD | Physician
    • It’s time to replace the 0 to 10 pain intensity scale with a better measure

      Mark Sullivan, MD and Jane Ballantyne, MD | Conditions
    • Breaking point: the 5 reasons American doctors are dreaming of walking away from medicine

      Amol Shrikhande, MD | Physician
    • Revolutionize your practice: the value-based care model that reduces physician burnout

      Chandravadan Patel, MD | Physician
    • Breaking the cycle of racism in health care: a call for anti-racist action

      Tomi Mitchell, MD | Policy
    • Unveiling the hidden damage: the secretive world of medical boards

      Alan Lindemann, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Master time management with 7 productivity strategies for optimal results

      Farzana Hoque, MD | Physician
    • Proposed USPSTF guideline update: Advocating for earlier breast cancer screening at age 40

      Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian | Conditions
    • The rising threat of lung cancer in Asian American female nonsmokers

      Alice S. Y. Lee, MD | Conditions
    • The tragic story of Mr. G: a painful journey towards understanding suicide

      William Lynes, MD | Physician
    • Healing trauma and reconnecting: Unmasking the impact of dissociation [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Why the WHO’s pandemic accord is critical for global health care

      Elizabeth Métraux | Policy

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Leave a Comment

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...