Project blog post #2

    With the beginning of my project underway, I am already learning a lot. I have been with Dr. Schroeder, a resident, Dr. Ella D'Amico, and Dr. Schroeder's athletic trainer Melissa. On my first day, I was pretty nervous, but I quickly got over it because of how nice everyone was. My initial expectations were not anything ambitious, and were that I will literally be her shadow, which is pretty accurate. What I did not expect were the amount of the procedures she does, and what they entail. I get to see as many as I can with patient consent. I think the procedures have surprised me the most, as well as the wide range of patients Dr. Schroeder sees from teenagers to older people, but mainly the latter. Another part of their job that surprised me is the amount of paperwork and files they need to keep and do. Before and after every patient requires extensive paperwork detailing the injury, patient, care, etc. 

    My typical procedure this week involves seeing the patient first with Dr. D'Amico, and then will revisit the patient with Dr. Schroeder. I am only able to see patients if they sign a patient consent sign, which is shown below. So far, I am learning how to interact with patients (despite merely standing in and listening to the conversation), but I get to learn how doctors use critical thinking skills to pinpoint the potential source of pain followed by the best plan to relieve the pain. Dr. Schroeder and Dr. D'Amico also explain what the diagnosis is to me in terms that I would understand because I have not gone to med school yet so I get a little confused!

    I still feel this project is really useful for me to see what type of sports medicine I want to go into. Dr. Schroeder explained how there are different pathways within the field of orthopedic medicine that fall within operative and non-operative. I think with this experience, I am developing an interest in the surgery side, but I also have a lot of time to figure that out.