OB/GYN: surprise suprise?

oh where to start. So i guess i can say,  this rotation is way different than i thought.  I had hear horror stories about the nurses, the hours, the patients, etc.

But thus far its none of those. It's this fabulous mix of CHILL non-asshole surgery, acute run-down-the-hall deliveries, family practice like clinics with plenty patient education, and really hilarious personalities. Not to mention you still round on your pre and post op patients and laboring ladies. Plus you get to psych your patients, deal with their social issues, and do plenty of internal medicine while still getting some resolution (delivery).   And i like ob/gyn (surprise, surprise, i know... i like everything) but really this is the only rotation thus far where I feel like my personality fits with the others without trying. Which is saying something, since my humor is hard to find. I'm pretty sure I might have peed my pants laughing the second day. I mean what else can you do when your resident is trying to describe to you someone's cervix and she acts it out.... with her face....

anyhow. it might just be limited to the particular people in this program. And its only been 1 week. And i've become so jaded against surgery that maybe i won't like that aspect.

As far as stuff I've seen, there are more c-sections than vaginal deliveries probably because many people just can't handle pain and the other half is because the doctors don't want to get sued so if anything at all looks weird, they go to the OR. I've seen several congenital problems (nothing major) as well as a lady with Noonan Syndrome (very intense, webbed neck and all-- baby's status still unknown). I delivered a placenta and helped circumcise (they call it the 'weenie whack').  Oh, and I have a pretty decent rate of being able to guess the STD from the smell during the pap. We bet on it - friendly like and whoever loses has to bring in a dessert, donuts, brownies, etc at the end of the week. Yeah i've done LOTS of speculum exams. And it doesn't really phase me at all  anymore when instead of shaking hands with a patient after introducing myself, i just stick fingers in her vagina. You know, whatevs. There's baby in there and sometimes you can touch it.

Speaking of babies. Here is a picture of one that I got to actively help deliver. The baby docs (remember as OB/GYN's we take care of mom&fetus then mom after delivery, NOT the newborns) were all worried about these 'pimple' like lesions on the face. They thought it might be something congenital. (for those of you non-medical people google image 'blueberry muffin baby' that's what happens when someone gets rubella when pregnant). This is obviously not rubella but other infections like the flu can cause problems for baby. GET A FLU SHOT LADIES!

And things are going so fast up there that you really don't have time to question how long you've been there. I'm often like, what do you mean its 3pm? I haven't even had breakfast yet! However, when its slow.... its painfully, palpably slow and its hard to keep myself awake.

The OB/GYN rotation at the hospital is divided by weeks to give you full exposure to all aspects of the specialty.

• week 1 - days at labor and delivery (what i just finished) usually 4:30am-6pm
• week 2 - night shift on labor and delivery 
• week 3 - Gyn surg 
• week 4 - days at labor and delivery at a small time hospital

interspersed in there is at least 1 24 hour shift and several days of clinic where you go to see your prenatal and gyn visits as well as contraception counselling, holding prenatal and lactation classes, etc.  And... i'd say probably 60% of your patients actually WANT to learn what you have to say.

Its like hope got breathed back into medicine.

I guess we'll see what i have to say after my week of nights...

total witnessed baby count: 11