Half a century ago - Geezer alert
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In October 1974, I was a third year medical student, doing my surgery rotation. 12 weeks of surgery where I was the second-lowest form of life on any service (intern on the vascular service is lower). My first rotation - first rotation - was pediatric neurosurgery. I remember my first day - I walked into the OR and watched a 3 year old with craniostenosis getting his bones disconnected.
Second rotation was urology. GU was kind of fun, but frustrating, because during cystoscopies, I could see nothing other than the attending urologist in the patient's crotch, looking through a scope. It wasn't hard, but a waste of a week.
Then, 2 (3?) weeks of general surgery. It was more interesting than the other two - mostly because I got to scrub in, and actually put in a stitch or two into the skin. But, being third assistant on an open gallbladder was quite unrewarding, driving the near end of a retractor, pulling the liver out of the way.
Then, I spent a week on the anesthesiology service. The attending staff were friendly, personable, funny and stimulated my curiosity. They asked questions about physiology, pharmacology, etc. And...I got to actually give an anesthetic! It was for a D&C. Probably only @bachophile will understand, but I remember giving the patient Pentothal, holding a black mask on her face, helping her breathe and turning on the enflurane.
This. Is. Fun.
I can do this, I thought.
I finished up the 12 weeks with more time on general surgery. One of the residents on the new service and I got to be kind of friendly. We both became residents and trained together. We both joined the staff at the university, and he stayed there until he retired about 2 years ago. I happened to see him when Mrs. George had her cataract surgery - good times.
So...yeah.
50 years. Unbelievable.
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Forks in the road of life. In 1978 I first worked with computer terminals, 80 column punch cards and microfiche in a title search place. It was very interesting work and inspired me to go into programming when I went back to school. Not quite fifty years, but again, fork in the road.
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Haha yea I remember Pentothal.last of the barbiturates.
When I think of it, I also remember my medical school rotations. And the first case I scrubbed in for. No one told me to pee before and I didn’t dare ask permission at some point to pee. I still remember thinking I’m simply going to piss my pants. Ahh memories.
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Great stories!!!
