since i can contribute essentially nothing to patients' care when i meet them, it's easy to feel a bit frustrated by the things that seem inhumane. so i argue when i'm told to kick families out, and sometimes do examinations a little more gently than i'm supposed to, and in the end feel a bit conflicted about what it means to be training to be a doctor.

but today reminded me of something that i can offer: here and there, and more and more as i learn, i can answer simple questions - the ones other people might not have time for, or that patients might not want to ask their busy care-givers. today the question was just about what it was that i was listening for when i press stethoscope to chest and ask for "deep breaths in and out through your mouth." something i can explain, and he seemed to feel much better for having found a way to get the answer.

three things to remember: 1) giving good explanations of what's going on never goes out of style, 2) being an audience for peoples' stories - having the time to listen and really hear - is good for me and good for many patients too, and 3) time and empathy lead to trust, which leads not only to questions that i might be able to answer, but also to revelations (like what recreational drugs he's taking, or what she thinks of her husband, or whatnot) that i carry around with me as reminders that it's people that are patients, not the other way around.