It’s Monday, I’m finishing up 90+ hours in the hospital over the past week so proceed reading with caution, lol.
I get a lot of questions about who a trauma surgeon is and what a trauma surgeon does.
Here are some answers.
(thread)
I get a lot of questions about who a trauma surgeon is and what a trauma surgeon does.
Here are some answers.
(thread)
1. No, I am not an ER doctor. ER doctors are awesome medical doctors.
2. Trauma surgeons are awesome SURGEONS, with a minimum of 5 years of Surgical training, because…
3. Trauma is a Surgical specialty, just like plastic surgery, vascular surgery, colorectal surgery, etc.
2. Trauma surgeons are awesome SURGEONS, with a minimum of 5 years of Surgical training, because…
3. Trauma is a Surgical specialty, just like plastic surgery, vascular surgery, colorectal surgery, etc.
4. I operate on everything but bone and brain.
Stab wound to the heart? Yes, I do that.
Gunshot wound to the colon? Do that, too.
Kidney or spleen shattered? Yep, also me.
Transected carotid artery and trachea? Still me.
Stab wound to the heart? Yes, I do that.
Gunshot wound to the colon? Do that, too.
Kidney or spleen shattered? Yep, also me.
Transected carotid artery and trachea? Still me.
5. I don’t work “shifts”, & no my work “schedule” isn’t really a schedule at all. It is all over the place, varies day to day/week to week bc…
6. A version of me has to be in the hospital 24/7 in order for the hospital to accept traumatically injured patients, which means…
6. A version of me has to be in the hospital 24/7 in order for the hospital to accept traumatically injured patients, which means…
7. "In house" call. What that means is, Yep, I spend the night IN the hospital.
And by “night” that could mean anywhere from 14 to 36 hours in a row, continuously, yes IN the hospital.
And by “night” that could mean anywhere from 14 to 36 hours in a row, continuously, yes IN the hospital.
8. The longest continuous period of time I have spent in the hospital is 72 hours.
Yes that sucked, and no I don’t recommend it and yes this happens because…
Yes that sucked, and no I don’t recommend it and yes this happens because…
9. There aren’t that many of us nationally. The majority of trauma centers in this country are hiring at any given time.
10. Yes, it is hard. And, I believe it takes hard work to do important things, and I feel that my job is important.
10. Yes, it is hard. And, I believe it takes hard work to do important things, and I feel that my job is important.
11. And, lastly, I love my job. I get to take care of patients when they need care the most… when one minute everything in their life is fine and when the next minute it isn’t. When every minute counts.
No one wakes up in the morning and plans on meeting me.
Something horrible and unexpected has happened. It is likely the most vulnerable moment in their life, and we (trauma surgeons AND our teams) are here for them.
And, I am incredibly proud of that.
#teamtrauma
Something horrible and unexpected has happened. It is likely the most vulnerable moment in their life, and we (trauma surgeons AND our teams) are here for them.
And, I am incredibly proud of that.
#teamtrauma
oops, forgot to add.
No, it's not like Greys Anatomy.
It's so much better 😉
No, it's not like Greys Anatomy.
It's so much better 😉
