You are a cardiologist at a local hospital, who just finished a shift and has a tight run to your daughter's high school graduation ceremony. As you headed off to the door, Mark, a patient who knew you well, saw you from the waiting room and grabbed your attention. "Doctor! I have a bad chest pain. Please stay for a bit. I'll feel much better if you were here."
Enter the waiting room and talk to Mark.
This is the type of dilemma that I'd hope not to end up in the future. I really like how well thoughtout your practice MMIs are =D!
ReplyDeleteHaha... I hope so too. But the folks at med school made it sound like some deep moral or personal dilemma is inevitable...
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you like these practices :)
This is actually a really good question. I suppose ideally you would stay for a bit to reassure him and still make it in time for the graduation, right? It would be really helpful if you could post a model answer for this. Thankyou :)
ReplyDeleteThere is really no "correct" answer to this question. The general approach I would take is think about why is this question being asked? What are the values that are in conflict here? On the one hand, you want to help your patients who needs reassurance. On the other hand, you have family obligations that is important for both you and your loved ones. If doctors frequently puts work ahead of personal life, then the burnout rate dramatically increases to the detriment of all patients.
ReplyDeleteI like your answer, which addresses the immediate situation well. But I wouldn't stop there, since you have a whole MMI station's worth of time to answer this. Explore the deeper issues at play here, and you can't go too wrong.
Your personal and professional life is in conflict here. First of all since I am still in the hospital premises I will make sure that the patient is safe and is not presenting with symptoms of something fatal like a heart attack in which case emergency services will be required. If not I will make the patient is attended by the next cardiologist who is on shift and make him aware of the patients symptoms.Once I do this I can attend my daughters graduation.
ReplyDeleteYour personal and professional life is in conflict here. First of all since I am still in the hospital premises I will make sure that the patient is safe and is not presenting with symptoms of something fatal like a heart attack in which case emergency services will be required. If not I will make the patient is attended by the next cardiologist who is on shift and make him aware of the patients symptoms.Once I do this I can attend my daughters graduation.
ReplyDeleteBalancing your personal and professional life is definitely the key issue here
DeleteI would ask how he's feeling presently and make sure he's not in any immediate danger. If he's displaying dangerous signs then I think I would stay and may be forced to miss part or all of my daughters graduation. If this is the case, I would call my daughter/family and inform them of the news and tell them I will go as soon as this is resolved. I would check who the next cardiologist is and see if he/she is at the hospital yet. If he isn't I would wait until he/she arrives and monitor the patient. As soon as the next cardiologist arrives I would leave immediately and try and attend the graduation ceremony.