Footnotes - Winter 2024 - 9

" Having the opportunity
to see concepts we
learned in school with
my own two eyes has
made everything click. "
-Daniel Sanchez ('25)
(left to right) Daniel Sanchez ('25), Zachery Goguen
('25), Austin Nichols ('25)
associated with rapidly moving from clinic to clinic and
being in a new hospital each month. Austin describes this
process as a " mixture of emotions. "
" On one hand, the learning experience provided in the
private practices and hospitals are extraordinary and
getting to work with practicing doctors and real patients
is truly the best way to train; on the other hand, however,
was something I wasn't expecting. I began to struggle with
the emotional difficulty that comes with trying to acclimate
with new environments every month as well as the constant
challenge of creating new professional relationships just to
start anew soon after. " Austin voices an unspoken challenge
that I believe each of us will have to deal with during our
third- and fourth-year rotations and clerkships. Each month
we become the " new guy " and by the end of that month,
just as we are beginning to solidify new relationships and
make our mark, we are whisked away to a new location
where we must begin again. This can be emotionally
exhausting and can also lead to a feeling of isolation.
During this time, your mental health and well-being must
be tended to. It is imperative to take care of yourself just
as you are taking care of your new patients. " In addition,
the anxiety and loneliness of not having your classmates
around to talk with, a familiar friendly face amongst a sea
of strangers, is a comfort I grew to miss. " Please make sure
to check in with some of your friends and classmates during
WINTER 2024
this time. It can be helpful to relay new procedures seen, or
just vent some of your shared frustrations with your friends
who are likely going through the same thing.
While we are right in the beginning stages of our clinical
careers, each of us will experience a swathe of emotional
highs and lows. We may see patients improve beyond
recognition directly from our knowledge and skills. We
may also experience deep feelings of isolation or imposter
syndrome. This is a unique experience to the clinical
training of medical professionals, and one that we all
share and understand. But this shared journey is one
that we will all remember for the rest of our careers, and
the hope is that in the future, we may be able to help the
next generation of students navigate this tumultuous time
through our shared experiences.
As a final note, I feel Austin puts it best: " The journey to
create a doctor is one fraught with sacrifice, hardship and
stress, but when you see a patient improving and able to live
a better life because of the care you've provided it makes
everything worth it, because in the end caring for others is
one of life's highest callings. "
9
Footnotes - Winter 2024

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