Huge responsibility!

I enjoy reading Dr. Groopman’s ancedotes about his experiences with his patients over his long career. They provide a glimpse into the world of doctors which many of us are generally unaware of when we see them as patients. If a doctor see 20-30 patients a day, it means that there are 20-30 cases that you have to get right and as many opportunities for you to miss something important. My son is in medical school now and occasionally as I was reading this book, it crossed my mind that he will have so much responsibility on his shoulders. Can he handle it? For example, Dr Groopman, as careful and compassionate as he was, he slipped up and did not examine Brad miller when he should have and missed an abcess in his left buttock that landed him in the ICU. It is inevitable that all doctors will make mistakes as they begin their medical training. The key is to not make any fatal one (no pun intended) and learn from your mistakes. I feel the same as a student pharmacist. Next summer when we have to do our hospital rotations, we will get a taste of some of this responsibility and hopefully we can all handle it well.