So, I am 3/4 finished with my trauma rotation. It is an interesting experience to say the least. Most of what we do is deal with social work issues because almost everyone who comes into the trauma bay is either homeless, drunk, or both. I have learned that the fastest way to get into an accident is to be intoxicated. Whether you are riding a bike, riding a motorcycle, driving a car, or just crossing a major highway on foot, being intoxicated seems to be the common denominator.
But, this has truly been an eye-opening experience. If you have a weak stomach, I suggest skipping this paragraph. People come in shot and we have to put tubes in their lungs while they are awake. These tubes are about the diameter of a nickel. Other people come in brain dead from an accident and have their brain hanging out of their skull. But, since it is a teaching hospital, we treat the patient as if they were going to make it. Just because they are brain dead, does not mean their heart isn't working and they aren't breathing on their own. So if they are, we go through the motions of trying to save their life to learn. So, one night, I was doing chest compressions on a patient as their brain was coming out of their nose. I almost vomited. I know this is a necessary part of a general surgeon's training. I am just glad it's not part of mine.
Unfortunately, being the bottom guy on the totem pole I do not get to do much of the cool stuff. I get to drain abscesses, admit patients and discharge patients. I wish I got more experience running traumas and learning about head and neck trauma but I try to just learn this on my own. Oh well.
I am just getting a little frustrated being a non-general surgery resident on general surgery rotations. We don't get treating differently, so I am not complaining about that. I am frustrated that I am learning about things that have nothing to do with Head and Neck Surgery. But, like I said, I try to read a bit every day or so to get ahead.
Otherwise things are going well. I got to go to the operating room and do 3 surgeries last Friday. 1. Lipoma resection: this is a benign lesion that was on someone's neck and I got to do the removal of it. 2. Benign tumor resection: this was on someone's chest and I got to help remove this. 3. Umbilical hernia repair: I didn't get to do much of the actual repair, but I got to open the skin with the scalpel and close the wound after it was fixed. None of these three cases have anything to do with my specialty, but at least I got some experience with the knife and suturing. The attending was very good about letting me do the operations and teaching me how to use the instruments.
All in all, this is an okay rotation that I wish I had more duties but am still trying to make the most of it.
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