Month: November 2023
Trauma-Informed Care Deserves a Stronger Spotlight in Surgery
By Sara Campbell, OMS-IV Trigger Warning: The following blog post contains mentions of sexual assault. A few months ago, I was catching up with one of my close friends when she told me about a recent experience at an oral surgeon’s office for an urgent root canal revision. “On the day of the surgery, I waited a long time in the operating room by myself. When the staff finally came in, they did not introduce themselves and basically moved in silence. I tried to explain that I have jaw pain to the doctor and staff, so I was concerned about it getting worse from the surgery, but they shrugged it off. Then, the doctor gave me the sleeping medicine without any warning, I passed out, then woke up by myself in a room with bloody gauze hanging out my mouth, where I was alone next to an exit for close...
Love yourself, be kind to yourself, and focus on yourself.
By Yi Hsuan Chen, MD As healthcare professionals, we dedicate years to learning how to care for our patients, continually honing our skills to provide the best possible care. However, in our demanding schedules, we often forget to care for ourselves. To be effective caregivers, we must be in peak physical and mental condition - this starts with self-love and self-care. Identify the source of stress and find an outlet. There are many options for relieving stress, but you must find those that work for you. For me, yoga is my way to relieve stress; here are some components I think make yoga helpful: Breathing: Besides training the body, we practice breathing exercises: inhale and exhale through the nose, ensure that exhale time is double the inhale time, and as your body adapts, prolong the time; for example, if you inhale in three counts, exhale in six counts, and increase...
Gender Inequalities in Surgery in Low-Middle Income Countries
By Maymona J. Choudry Gender inequality is a pervasive issue in many fields, including the surgical field, particularly in low-middle-income countries. Surgery has long been regarded as a man’s field, with only a few women physicians proceeding to surgical residency. This has resulted in a significant disparity in the number of male and female surgeons, which has implications for healthcare and surgical education. Firstly, cultural and societal norms play a significant role in this issue. Women are still viewed as caregivers and homemakers, with little emphasis placed on their professional pursuits. This has led to a lack of support and encouragement for women to enter into fields such as surgery, which are traditionally male-dominated. I remember at the beginning of my journey as a surgical resident, every time I would make rounds in a non-surgical ward, I was usually asked by the nurses or staff, whether I am a pediatrician...