Dispatch from a Baylor Summer Fellow | Turner McGuire
Throughout my time in Argentina, not only did my confidence in the Spanish language change, but also my view on healthcare after spending time following various surgeons and emergency room doctors in Mendoza. Additionally, this experience has shaped my personal goal of what kind of a doctor I want to become: not simply which field of medicine I want to join, but what kind of a person I want to be as a doctor. One of the most memorable moments in the hospital was while I was shadowing a general surgeon. What I appreciated most about him is that he always maintained communication with the patient throughout the procedure, always listening to the patients’ concerns and comments and then responding in a respectful and thoughtful way, instead of dismissing or only partially addressing them. When something went wrong (anesthesia was not injected in the correct location) the doctor responded quickly, calmly, and in a way that always prioritizes the patient’s thoughts and emotions.
Unexpectedly, I was able to experience the healthcare system firsthand. Early on during my time in Argentina, I fractured my hand and visited the doctor to get an x-ray and a cast. This was another example where I got to see how the doctor-patient relationship may be different. I thought it was interesting how the doctor himself came into the waiting room to being me back to his office. Once in his office, I sat across from him at his office desk (instead of an examination chair) and we had a conversation, not only about my injury but also what I was doing in Argentina and how I was feeling. I felt valued and cared for as a person.
As a student aspiring to be in the medical field, I strive to have these qualities that I have observed from several doctors in Mendoza. I have learned that it is equally as important to care for the person and the patient. These doctors have shown me how to attend to the patient wholistically, caring for the patient physically and emotionally.
Turner McGuire (Senior, Medical Humanities)