An alcoholic patient, and his effect on a medical student
Once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic.
This is one of the main tenets of Alcoholics Anonymous, and it serves to encourage its members to commit to absolute abstinence. It is also a belief, I have come to realize, held by the many medical residents I have encountered.
When an alcoholic patient is admitted to the hospital, it is no secret that he (or she) is an alcoholic. This is because it feels …
