Preceptorship

Today was my last adult preceptorship. I've really enjoyed working with my preceptor, an internal medicine doctor in a nursing home setting. It's an odd feeling, leaving this clinic for the final time, not knowing what will happen to the patients I saw today. Someone struggling with metastatic cancer to the bone, someone self-diagnosing polymyalgia rheumatica, someone trying to figure out the right combination of medications for CHF. These people were kind enough to let me peek into their lives, ask them personal questions, and hazard an attempt at the physical examination. I got a glimpse of patients two generations older than me, facing health concerns of devastating gravity and seriousness. Today, I finished my tenure. I shook hands with the last patient, put my stethoscope in my bag, spoke some parting words with my preceptor who has guided me in this overwhelming and intimidating foray into patient care. I really appreciate the chance I got to learn from these people and impose myself upon their lives. It's no small thing.