The Littlest Doctor

When I was a medical student I completed an elective in emergency medicine. I met an amazing doctor. I was actually supposed to be supervised by another doctor while I was on elective, but that doctor was on annual leave, so the head of the department took me under his wing. This doctor had been practicing emergency medicine for a very long time… But now, he was older, and not well, and couldn’t work clinically anymore but he lead the department at this large, tertiary hospital. He was so loved by his staff.

He taught me about compassion. He taught me to pity people who self harm, to treat aggressive dementia patients with respect, to have sympathy for people who are addicted to drugs, and not to blame people with mental illness for their disease. It can be frustrating, but whenever I find myself starting to get annoyed with patients I remember him.

But he loved his staff, and said that if someone chooses to be abusive they can pick up their leg and leave of his department!

He stopped working not long after my elective, and sadly passed away earlier this year. I am so grateful I had the chance to meet him. It’s so easy to be influenced by the many bitter, angry and cynical doctors you meet, but his compassion made me a better doctor, and I’ll be forever grateful.