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

Wonder about each patient outside the exam room

Alexander Rakowsky, MD
Physician
September 23, 2019
16 Shares
Share
Tweet
Share

I pass by one of our local parochial schools on the way to clinic two mornings a week. With the school year in full swing, each Friday I see the children lining up outside to go to weekly Mass. With the girls in their grey tartan skirts and blue vests and the boys in their blue shirts and pants, they form a colorful, large nameless entity to which I don’t pay much attention usually as I pass by.

However, last week, as I was waiting at the crosswalk near the school, a patient from our clinic and her mother crossed the street. I have known her literally her entire life as well as her older siblings, with the family being with us well over a decade. In my head I recalled her last visit a few weeks ago, her favorite things to do, her favorite color, her trepidations of starting a new school year and her genuine joy in receiving a backpack from one of our residents (as part of our school supply drive). I recalled how her mom is so very proud of her and loves seeing her daughter happy. I also recalled how mom was worried sick last winter when her daughter got a serious viral illness. I finally recalled this girl’s hilarious uncontrollable laughter at a joke her brother said at a visit a few years back. I was surprised by how quickly these memories flooded my mind.

However, even with knowing her and mom relatively well, I realized that I am just skimming the surface. This mom knows her daughter’s favorite foods and clothes, but more importantly, her fears and hopes and many of her inner thoughts. She has seen her daughter cry and laugh, struggle and succeed. Yet, even mom has not fully mined into this infinite being that was crossing the street in front of me.

As I slowly pulled past the school, the nameless blob of color-coordinated children seemed no more. No longer did a see a mass of hundreds of uniforms, but now hundreds of individuals. Each of these children is known to some extent by their teachers, their doctors, their friends and much more so by their parents. Each of these children is unique in their own special ways.

Clinic that morning was busy, as usual, and there were stressful moments, especially with new residents recently joining us and still learning the clinic routine. Yet, my perspective changed and as I went from room to room, I found myself thinking a subconscious “thank you” towards the families and patients for allowing me the honor of getting to know them at least somewhat.

Augustine of Hippo said it very well in the 4th century: “People travel to wonder at the heights of the mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motion of the stars; and they pass by themselves without wondering.” Let’s wonder as we see our next patient.

Alexander Rakowsky is a pediatrician.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com

Prev

Hair is undoubtedly the politician’s crowning glory

September 23, 2019 Kevin 4
…
Next

Modern health care and the Burger King mentality: Sometimes you can't "have it your way"

September 23, 2019 Kevin 2
…

Tagged as: Pediatrics

Post navigation

< Previous Post
Hair is undoubtedly the politician’s crowning glory
Next Post >
Modern health care and the Burger King mentality: Sometimes you can't "have it your way"

More by Alexander Rakowsky, MD

  • The surprising power of Play-Doh in pediatric care: How it’s bringing families together

    Alexander Rakowsky, MD
  • The power of personal stories in vaccination awareness

    Alexander Rakowsky, MD
  • Advice from a pediatrician during the viral surge

    Alexander Rakowsky, MD

Related Posts

  • What this student learned from a standardized patient exam

    Adam Nessim
  • Building a bond of trust between patient and physician

    Michele Luckenbaugh
  • More physician responsibility for patient care

    Michael R. McGuire
  • A patient waits. And waits.

    Michele Luckenbaugh
  • Prescribing medication from a patient’s and physician’s perspective

    Michael Kirsch, MD
  • The triad of health care: patient, nurse, physician

    Michele Luckenbaugh

More in Physician

  • The harmful effects of shaming patients for self-education

    Maryanna Barrett, MD
  • The power of self-appreciation: Why physicians need to start acknowledging their own contributions

    Wendy Schofer, MD
  • Skydiving and surgery: How one doctor translates high-stress training to saving lives

    Alexandra Kharazi, MD
  • Don’t be caught off guard: Read your malpractice policy today

    Aaron Morgenstein, MD & Laura Fortner, MD
  • The dark side of medicine: an urgent call to action against greed

    Don Gaede, MD
  • Dr. Glaucomflecken for president!

    Aaron Morgenstein, MD & Amy Bissada, DO & Corinne Sundar Rao, MD
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • The real cause of America’s opioid crisis: Doctors are not to blame

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
    • It’s time for C-suite to contract directly with physicians for part-time work

      Aaron Morgenstein, MD & Corinne Sundar Rao, MD | Physician
    • The struggle to fill emergency medicine residency spots: Exploring the factors behind the unfilled match

      Katrina Gipson, MD, MPH | Physician
    • What is driving physicians to the edge of despair?

      Edward T. Creagan, MD | Physician
    • Beyond the disease: the power of empathy in health care

      Nana Dadzie Ghansah, MD | Physician
    • The psychoanalytic hammer: lessons in listening and patient-centered care

      Greg Smith, MD | Conditions
  • Past 6 Months

    • The real cause of America’s opioid crisis: Doctors are not to blame

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
    • Nobody wants this job. Should physicians stick around?

      Katie Klingberg, MD | Physician
    • The vital importance of climate change education in medical schools

      Helen Kim, MD | Policy
    • The fight for reproductive health: Why medication abortion matters

      Catherine Hennessey, MD | Physician
    • Resetting the doctor-patient relationship: Navigating the challenges of modern primary care

      Jeffrey H. Millstein, MD | Physician
    • The Titanic sinking: a metaphor for the impending collapse of medicine

      Aaron Morgenstein, MD & Corinne Sundar Rao, MD & Shreekant Vasudhev, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Surviving clinical rounds: tips and tales from a pediatric hematologist-oncologist [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • The harmful effects of shaming patients for self-education

      Maryanna Barrett, MD | Physician
    • The power of self-appreciation: Why physicians need to start acknowledging their own contributions

      Wendy Schofer, MD | Physician
    • The endless waves of chronic illness

      Michele Luckenbaugh | Conditions
    • Skydiving and surgery: How one doctor translates high-stress training to saving lives

      Alexandra Kharazi, MD | Physician
    • Telemedicine in the opioid crisis: a game-changer threatened by DEA regulations

      Julie Craig, MD | Meds

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

  • Abortion Is Not Murder in the Eyes of the Law
  • Introducing Allergenic Foods Early Tied to a Reduction in Later Allergies
  • Isotretinoin REMS Still Needed, But Its Burden Could Be Reduced, FDA Staff Says
  • Children Do Well With Fewer Opiates After Surgery
  • High Out-of-Pocket Costs Tied to Less Follow-Up After Initial Mammography

Meeting Coverage

  • Children Do Well With Fewer Opiates After Surgery
  • Advances in Diagnosis and Management of Severe Cutaneous Adverse Reactions
  • Orismilast Clears Skin in Moderate-to-Severe Psoriasis
  • New Combinations Promising in Advanced Urothelial Carcinoma
  • No Survival Benefit With CRT Versus Chemo for Locally Advanced Endometrial Cancer
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • The real cause of America’s opioid crisis: Doctors are not to blame

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
    • It’s time for C-suite to contract directly with physicians for part-time work

      Aaron Morgenstein, MD & Corinne Sundar Rao, MD | Physician
    • The struggle to fill emergency medicine residency spots: Exploring the factors behind the unfilled match

      Katrina Gipson, MD, MPH | Physician
    • What is driving physicians to the edge of despair?

      Edward T. Creagan, MD | Physician
    • Beyond the disease: the power of empathy in health care

      Nana Dadzie Ghansah, MD | Physician
    • The psychoanalytic hammer: lessons in listening and patient-centered care

      Greg Smith, MD | Conditions
  • Past 6 Months

    • The real cause of America’s opioid crisis: Doctors are not to blame

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
    • Nobody wants this job. Should physicians stick around?

      Katie Klingberg, MD | Physician
    • The vital importance of climate change education in medical schools

      Helen Kim, MD | Policy
    • The fight for reproductive health: Why medication abortion matters

      Catherine Hennessey, MD | Physician
    • Resetting the doctor-patient relationship: Navigating the challenges of modern primary care

      Jeffrey H. Millstein, MD | Physician
    • The Titanic sinking: a metaphor for the impending collapse of medicine

      Aaron Morgenstein, MD & Corinne Sundar Rao, MD & Shreekant Vasudhev, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Surviving clinical rounds: tips and tales from a pediatric hematologist-oncologist [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • The harmful effects of shaming patients for self-education

      Maryanna Barrett, MD | Physician
    • The power of self-appreciation: Why physicians need to start acknowledging their own contributions

      Wendy Schofer, MD | Physician
    • The endless waves of chronic illness

      Michele Luckenbaugh | Conditions
    • Skydiving and surgery: How one doctor translates high-stress training to saving lives

      Alexandra Kharazi, MD | Physician
    • Telemedicine in the opioid crisis: a game-changer threatened by DEA regulations

      Julie Craig, MD | Meds

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today iMedicalApps
  • 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...