Every rotation in the third year of medical school provides us with a concrete foundation of clinical knowledge for our medical degree and the opportunity to determine whether or not a particular specialty would be suitable for our future careers.
Pediatrics may teach us about developmental milestones; ob/gyn about the stages of labor; surgery about the 5 W's; family medicine about the USPSTF recommendations; and so on. However, each rotation taught me something unintentionally that could be applied broadly to my role as a resident physician and ultimately my future career.
Pediatrics: Communication
Pediatrics was my very first rotation of medical school, so everything was new.
Why was the monitor making that beeping sound? Was the newborn crying because something was wrong or because he is a newborn? How was I supposed to explain things to parents when I barely understood them myself?
What was all uncertain and new at first began to become more apparent as the rotation went on. Conversations with parents became easier, and talking to patients became more about playing peek-a-boo or letting the 3-year-old play with my stethoscope before listening to lung sounds.
Pediatrics taught me the importance of verbal and nonverbal communication with both patients and their families.
