Leonards Life Lessons As interpreted by Dr Boswell
Leonard’s Life Lessons As interpreted by Dr. “Boswell”
Role Models n n n There are many outstanding role models in medicine The “wow” effect How to get the most out of positive role models
Leonard’s Life Lessons n “Anatomy is my medium” n n Your “medium” is the method through which you express your message Medicine is your medium This means it is a means to an end, not an end in itself What is your message? n n n Healing Helping others Social justice
Leonard’s Life Lessons n Everyone has a story n n n Recognizing the other n n Dr. Leonard has a cool story Patients have stories Physicians have stories Even medical students have stories Who you become as a doctor is connected to your story Question: How do you remember students’ names? Names are important – a shorthand for the self You remember names by remembering the stories that belong to the names Routinization and boredom n n Question: How do you keep from getting bored teaching anatomical structures year after year? It is the stories of the students (or patients) that enliven and keep the teaching (or patient care) process fresh
Leonard’s Life Lessons n Death is shocking… still n n n Emotional response to cadavers n n n Proximity to death gives the opportunity to reflect on, learn to be more familiar with death Death enriches life, makes it more precious Dr. Leonard is still moved by the cadavers “and that’s a good thing” Importance of retaining the capacity to be moved by your patients Self-care n n Listen to what you need at any given moment in life Know how to get on “the red bus”
Your Relationship with the Cadavers Johanna Shapiro, Ph. D. Anatomy of Anatomy Elective 2010
Relationship Possibilities n Can you even have a relationship with a cadaver? n n n Morbid, pathetic Eeww! Cadaver as tool for learning n n n Cadaver is an object, like a stethoscope Means to end (student learning) Patient implications n n Something to extract other things from Listening for (certain pertinent information) rather than listening with
Relationship Possibilities n Cadaver as guide and teacher n n n Reassuring, encouraging Permission-giving, nurturing, mentoring Patient implications n n n Patient is the best teacher Patient can care for doctor, as well as doctor caring for patient Cadaver as (formerly) living person n n Witnessing to the human aspect of the cadaver Wondering about cadaver’s past life Wondering about decision to donate Patient implications n n Situating the patient’s disease within the patient’s life story Being interested in the meaning of illness for the patient
Relationship Possibilities n Cadaver as first patient n n n Practicing relational skills Respect, concern, interest, commitment Patient implications n n n How will you treat compromised patients? Persistent vegetative state, anesthetized, mentally retarded, psychotic Cadaver as “friend” n n Parallels between student and cadaver Patient implications n n Recognizing commonalities as well as differences Vulnerability, suffering, assaults on identity
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