I love teaching and I love working with students regularly. I recently had one that left an interesting and lasting impression. Here is the story.

 

This is her first rotation. I am her first preceptor on her clinical rotations.

 

Cheerful and bubbly was my initial impression. She was just excited to be starting her rotations and in awe of everything that I was tutoring her in. Every patient was a unique opportunity for her to learn and expand her knowledge base. She was happy to see every patient. I noted the wonder in her eyes as she conversed and presented each patient as the month went on.

 

She regularly used words such as “ this patient is adorbs” As I soon found out was short for “adorable”. She was un phased if the patient was rude or grouchy. I quickly realized the difference between having been in cardiology for almost 25 years and the “newbie”, where everything was shiny and new.

 

Was I once the same way on my first rotation all those decades ago, I struggled to find those memories for myself. It was like bewilderment and excitement of the mind of a child, unladen by judgements through years of hardening experience. Her personality was like a soft shell in the ocean of knowledge, not yet ripe enough to be hard by the rough salty seas. She would say “ he/she is so cute I want to take her home” referring to most of my patients, to which I jokingly stated “ if you take everyone home, I wont have any patients left and you will run out of house space !”

 

The rotation went well, and she learned a ton and became quite facile by the end of it. She had exceeded my expectations as I had tailored the rotation at a slower pace for her to focus on foundations rather than speed as I did with more seasoned students. She kept up and shined with knowledge and skill.

 

I caught myself accidentally calling some of my patients “adorbs” too. It had become infectious. The state of looking at things again with fresh eyes and perspective. This was my learning too, as a reminder, to not always assume, or presume. Keep in a state of awe and wonder as I meet and greet each patient, as every encounter is unique and priceless. It is the enthusiasm for life and learning that I saw as my own reflection, perhaps misplaced over the years of monotony. Even the teacher can learn from the student.

 

Yet on a broader perspective, does this not apply to our daily lives too? Wherein each day is to be explored with a fresh observation and vantage point. If we naturally assume the day will be like all other days, perhaps boring or stressful, does our present not just mimic the past. Our weeks and months and even years whiz by as duplicates of the same boring day and life, a drudgery rather than a gift of presence and gratitude. Each day can look the same but feel different with a renewed sense of gratitude and wonder.

 

I cannot to wait to see what tomorrow will bring, as long as I love today.

 

Refresh and renew every perspective with each encounter with anyone, everyone, and the experience shifts dramatically. Such is the nature of the illusionary universe of life.

 

…………..

 

I love you