So a couple of weeks ago I had my first experience "working" in a clinic as a student provider. A couple other students and myself got to "shadow" a professor at a clinic in town. For the first patient we just observed, but after that we got to get a history (ask them questions about what's going on), do physical exams, and help with the thought process behind the diagnosis and treatment.
-first patient: coming in with hypertension for a medication refill. Ho hum.
-Second patient: coming in with a "strange itchy rash" that ended up being eczema, poor guy. The eczema (which is a chronic skin disorder) was on all of his extremities, huge, itchy and painful. Get that guy some steroids!
-Third patient: Lady coming in with knee pain. Another student did her physical exam, and the professor/PA and I agreed it was probably her lateral collateral ligament- so nice to have a PA concur with my "diagnosis"!
-Fourth patient: Got a history from a lady with an itchy dark rash in her neck creases amongst other places... Looked like Acanthosis Nigricans! That's a skin discoloration most often caused by diabetes- and she had a family history of diabetes. Got a blood sugar- way high! Referred her for follow up (and also treatment for a couple other things). That was pretty awesome to recognize something for what it really is instead of what it's being presented as. Wish I knew what happened with her follow up...
-Fifth patient: Lady in for a refill on meds... ho hum
Overall, a fun night! Very tiring though, considering that our buns are plastered in chairs for 90% of the day either in class or studying- all that walking around wore me out! How sad. I'm sure once clinicals start for real in a few weeks that I'll get used to it fast.
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That sounds so cool! I'm proud of you! : )
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