embarrassment

So the past 2 weeks have been the start of my clinical rotations. I'm currently doing "family medicine" which means I go between the urgent care and the family clinic. Most days, it's pretty mellow. I've had the opportunity to incise and drain several MRSA abscesses from peoples underarms and inner thighs. Those days, I go home feeling like I need to jump in a bath of bleach water. Other times I come home rather amused by the patient encounters I've had.

One of my first days in the urgent care, I was asked by one of the PAs if I would like to come watch an incision and drainage of a cyst. I happily accepted and followed her blindly into a room with a closed door. To my surprise and more to the patient's surprise was that I recognized him. The look on his face when he realized he knew me was one of mild horror. The first thought through my head was, "Where is the cyst?". At that point I could have chosen to turn around and leave out of respect for him but I made a quick decision to act professional and stay. This was a good learning experience and good practice for future encounters with patients I might personally know. Within seconds the PA had him on his belly with his shorts half way down his bum. The cyst happened to be nestled in the superior portion of his butt cheeks. I think at this point, both the patient and I were probably blushing but neither of us could see the others' face. So we chatted as if were sitting in a cafe' having coffee together, all the while I'm helping to hold his cheeks apart while the PA performed the procedure.

Another day, at the Family clinic, I was helping out a resident by seeing some of his patients. I picked up a chart on the outside of a room. On the line where it says why the patient is there, it read, "Suppression Therapy." Not really sure what that meant, I walked confidently into the room to find a 30 something, good looking gentleman with a very nervous look on his face. He was expecting to see a male doctor but instead a young female student walks in and shakes his hand. As a I sat down with my clipboard and asked him why he was there, he crossed his legs, and his arms, and with hesitation told me he was there for suppression therapy for his Herpes. Once again, I practiced my "non shocked, this happens all the time" demeanor. I asked him questions about the history of his disease as if it were a common cold. His body language opened up over a few minutes but when I went to listen his heart and lungs, I could see that he was sweating profusely. That was the extent of my exam. I didn't ask to see the herpes. I believed him and I think he appreciated that.