The Clinical Skills Labs were all prepared ready for a special visit from an important army colonel. The University is preparing to teach a new course in crisis management jointly with the armed services. The manikins within the Clinical Skills Labs may be used to teach trauma management and wound care.
Thankfully we had been told about this visit 2 days before hand so we were able to ensure all the manikins were displayed in each of the clinic rooms of the labs. We'd had difficulties before when we've been told to prepare the labs just 10 minutes before a visit!
The lights are on, but ....
Before the visit, we started the morning with further training in the use of electronic patient records. There is an initiative to introduce electronic patient records to all government hospitals and clinics in Jordan and we are receiving training to then train our medical students. The system is very impressive but we were a bit limited by password restrictions which needed fixing. Security is a very important issue for electronic patient records but it can be frustrating when you need access and don't have it!
Parting words of exhortation
Whilst the company giving the training sorted out a solution for the passwords, one of the 3rd year medical students called to ask if I could see him. I went out of the lab and was surprised to see about 150 third year students in the hallway. I was even more surprised when they suddenly started clapping and cheering for me!! The student organiser gave me a bunch of flowers and gift as well as giving a little speech thanking me. So I gave a little speech thanking them and telling them not to forget what I've taught them and they'll be great doctors! The third year students are moving on to clinical rotations so I won't be teaching them again (and it may be my last year teaching anyway).
It's nice to be appreciated
I was really touched that the gift was a beautiful watch, since I'd lost my watch a few months ago and the students had remembered me mentioning it. I was even more touched by the words in the card "we learnt from you the practical skills we need as doctors, but most importantly, through you we understood the heart of medicine. You graced us with such elegance of character that we not only appreciate, but also aspire to become."
After lots of photographs with the students, with me keeping a look out for the approach of the visitors to the lab, I went to meet the visitors and show them around. They were impressed with the facilities and enjoyed their tour.
Days like this show me that all the hardwork and effort really is worth it and that through teaching the medical students and being a role model, the practise of patient-centered medicine will become a reality in Jordan.
