Oh, the glorious last month I have spent in the PCC (Pediatric Care Clinic)--normal hours, weekends off, seeing lots of cute, healthy (compared to inpatient) kids. Since in our weekly continuity clinic, we mostly see checkups, this was a great month to see a little more of the typical outpatient kids. You know, the dozens of strep throats, colds, headaches, constipation, etc. I had a great month with my fellow residents and wonderful attendings, and learned a lot, especially how to delicately deal with parents.
It's funny, because most parents come to the doctor expecting an answer and a quick fix, and the reality is that we only prescribe medicine about 1/4 of the time, if that. In fact, I remember in medical school, I would go an entire afternoon at my preceptor's office without him writing a single prescription. It's not because we don't care. It's because most kids get better all on their own, and they don't need the medicine (or the side effects). It's part of what I love about pediatrics--how resilient their little bodies are. And, I'll let you in on a little secret (but you have to promise not to tell): we as doctors don't always know exactly what's going on and how to fix it. Shhhhh! The body is a mystery, and a complicated one at that. Often times things need time to either go away on their own, or develop a little more so we can identify what's going on. So please, don't hate your friendly pediatrician the next time they say, "It's probably just a virus" or "Well, why don't we watch it and have you come back in a month." And for my part, I'll try hard to remember how frustrating it is to hear those words.
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