These past two weeks have been “Women’s Health Weeks.” We have been learning about illnesses that affect mostly women. Along with illness, we were taught some physiology pertaining to females only. The most exciting thing we talked about was delivering a baby, something only a woman can do. It is easy to get bogged down in medical school, or in medicine in general, because it seems death is all around us. People go to the doctor to AVOID dying. Whether that means illness prevention or treating an infection before it gets worse. Pregnancy can mean new life and that seems like a great reason to consider Obstetrics and Gynecology.
One of our labs this past week involved actually delivering a simulated baby. There, in front of me, lay a pregnant, mechanical woman. She screams “the baby is coming!” Contractions begin and I prepare to bring a new, simulated life into this world. With each contraction, the baby approaches. The sim baby begins to crown. I grab his/her head to prevent any spinal injuries. As the shoulders become visible, I start to pull the baby towards me. He/she is slippery and I am careful not to drop this newborn. The actual experience is much more chaotic and messy. There will be time for that during my third year Ob/Gyn rotation. Childbirth must be one of the most rewarding experiences in medicine. I only delivered a mechanical baby and I feel so much closer to being a doctor. I cannot wait to experience the real thing. The doctor delivering a baby has to take care of the mother and the baby. He/she is also responsible for the rest of the child’s life if anything goes wrong during the delivery. This must be an immense pressure. But if everything goes right, a new future ______ has just made its way into our world. It brings new dreams and ideas that could someday change the world.
Now, if there is ever a pregnant woman going into labor on a bus seat next to me, I am prepared.
