The Forgotten Faces: Reflections on Patient Care and the Art of Medicine

During my medical training, I had an experience that made me reflect deeply on my role as a physician. One day, while walking through the hospital, I passed my physician in the hallway. We had just seen each other the week before (for a new patient visit), so I tried to make some small talk. To my surprise, he had no idea who I was. Sure, I was in scrubs, which might have thrown him off, but I have a pretty memorable face with unique glasses and a thick beard. Don’t you see? 👇️ 

This interaction made me think about my own practice as a resident physician. In a typical two-week block, I care for over 20 different patients. Sometimes, I interact primarily with the patients; other times, I engage with their families. During this period, I know and remember all my patients quite well. But once the rotation ends and I move on to the next one, my memory of those patients fades quickly. The ones I do remember are usually the most critically ill or those whose families I had intimate conversations with.

However, the situation is different for patients and their families. If they see me a few weeks later, it might take me a moment to remember them, but they would likely have no problem recognizing me (as I experienced when I saw my own physician). For them, I was present during one of the most challenging experiences of their lives. We often forget this perspective as physicians: what’s just another day of work for us is another terrible day for our patients.

I’m not sure if this phenomenon is good or bad… it seems to be a natural consequence of caring for so many diverse and complicated patients. Once I move on to a new set of patients, the memories of prior ones fade. This experience has made me realize that as physicians and providers, we often make a significant impact on our patients and their families, even if we don't always recognize it ourselves.

So, I realize it’s essential to take a step back and reflect on this. Compassionate care involves acknowledging the profound effect we have on those we treat. Understanding this can help us remain empathetic and grounded in our practice.

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RESIDENCY REFLECTIONS ARCHIVE

Reflections on my medical training, capturing the nuances and human connections that define our profession, going beyond the science.

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