Medicine Is Currently Evolving

By Levi Smith

Here we are at the start of the real first week of medical school! I am so excited and ready to get started! Last week ended up seeming like it passed very slowly. There were some high points in orientation, but they were few and far between. One point I would quickly like to make is the nature of my gross anatomy lab. During orientation, we took a class called, What the Dead Can Teach the Living. It was very enlightening as to the nature of our anatomy lab. As most know, the typically accepted lab format for learning medical students in a gross anatomy course is to study using a cadaver or donated preserved (embalmed) body. The experience will be incredible, and I am very much looking forward to it. Out of respect for the donor of the body which I have the supreme opportunity to gain so much knowledge from, I will post very little information about the gross anatomy lab. I may talk about lecture but details regarding lab will be kept strictly to a minimum. At the end up semester, I may do a recap regarding the emotional or enlightening nature of the experience, but again, out of respect for the individual who was so kind and giving as to donate their body for my betterment and education, all other details will be omitted.

I’M SO EXCITED TO BE A MEDICAL STUDENT! Obviously, there are multiple emotions involved right now. In addition to excitement, there is a little bit of anxiety, some stress, and nerves, but also willingness to learn, gratitude for the opportunity, and trusting in myself to work hard and do my best. I know I haven’t mentioned it yet in my posts, but gosh am I thankful for my wife Katelyn! She is going through this just as much, if not more than I am, and I wouldn’t rather be doing it with anyone else!

A large portion of discussion this last week was devoted to the idea of an interprofessional education. That means that we will be learning and training as DPM’s, right along with the DO’s, the DPT’s, sometimes the PA’s, and some students in master’s programs. It embodies a new idea in treating patients. The idea is that a team consisting of a group of professionals working closely together to treat a patient, with the patient at the center of the team, can be much more effective and accurate with treating the patient. Fewer errors are committed and the patient’s quality of care and life is greatly improved. Medicine is currently evolving to try and adopt this measure as this ideology is being introduced into medical curriculums, not only nationally but internationally as well. When you go to your clinic with multiple different types of doctors like your primary care, an endocrinologist, a podiatrist, a physical therapist and so on and so forth, those doctors and medical professionals (not only people with a Dr in front of their name) are able to collaborate around your care, thus making your care more interprofessional as opposed to intraprofessional medicine which is still common. I believe that learning in an environment that encourages me to learn with and from other professions will not only benefit my learning now but also will benefit my future patients. I can’t wait to share more about my experiences at DMU!

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