A note to a future doctor.
If you just earned a seat on the path to medicine, or your child did, there is no product on this page. There is one piece of advice that has served me well, and a congratulations that is entirely sincere.
From Dr. Rory Merritt: Brown PLME graduate, board-certified emergency physician, and former Assistant Dean of Medicine within Brown's PLME.
Welcome to the life of becoming a physician, and a warm congratulations on your acceptance.
Let me give you something that has served me well.
Over your career you will care for thousands of patients. You will always be professional. And a few of them will stay with you. Maybe one reminds you of your grandmother, or a best friend. Maybe it is the complexity of the care. Very rarely, while staying professional throughout, you will meet a patient you do not like, someone rude or saying offensive things. Most patients you will feel neutral toward.
But remember this. Your patients will never feel neutral toward you. They will either trust you or they will not. The moment you step into the room you are being evaluated, and rightly so. They are putting their health in the hands of someone who is often a stranger.
So sit down. Roll the stool over to the bedside, get to their eye level, introduce yourself, and give them your undivided attention.
Like with admissions, the diagnosis is in the story.
Dr. Rory Merritt
Emergency physician · former Assistant Dean of Medicine, Brown PLME
If there is something you want to share about your journey, the lessons along the way, or how the free resources on bridge2md.com helped you, write to me at rorymerritt@bridge2md.com. I read every one.
If a family you know just got in, send it to them.