They Don't Teach Us

It's 2014 and I'm on my first clinical rotation. I have one patient. And I have one job: control her blood sugar while her body is blasted with steroids, convinced to accept a new heart. “Hey, what's it mean if it says ‘expired’ where the room number was? I can't find the patient I've been following.”The fellow gives me a look. It is one of both pity and amusement.“Oh,” I say. The word hangs heavy and stale in the room.
Source: The Journal of Emergency Medicine - Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Tags: Humanities and Medicine Source Type: research