Week 3 in Nephrology complete!

Today marks the end of my 3rd week in Nephrology. 

For the first two weeks, I followed a schedule given to me by the secretary of the Department. It rotated me through the different areas of Nephrology. Some days were spent on the ward, but most days alternated between the acute and chronic dialysis centres and consultations at the outpatient clinic. I found the appointments hard to follow because they were entirely in Dutch, and frequently, the doctors were so busy they didn't have time between the patients to go into too much depth about what had transpired during the consultation. 

During my second week, I inquired with the secretary if it was possible to change my schedule. She explained that the program was just a guide and not set in stone. I could feel free to join wherever I felt was most interesting. After speaking with her, I decided to spend my last two weeks on the wards to get more hands-on experience.

I think it was the right decision. Every day this week, I participated in clinical ward rounds, took case histories, and performed physical examinations. I assisted the doctors in writing patient notes, ordering labs, requesting imaging, and discharging patients home. The latter seems simple enough, but it's actually a bit more complex than just saying, “you’re doing much better; we can send you home.” 

• You have to prepare a letter for the GP explaining everything about the patient’s hospitalisation because they will be the ones to follow up on their care outside the hospital and decide if they need to return. 
• You have to print out a list of the patient’s current medications and explain them.
• You have to prepare prescriptions for any new medications or refills the patient may need.
• You have to make follow up appointments with specialists or any imaging the patient may need after discharge. 

Once all the paperwork listed above is given to the patient, they are free to go home. 

I really feel like I could do this for a living. It’s becoming more clear to me that I’d like to work in a hospital setting rather than a clinic. I can't believe next week is already my last week in Nephrology, but I'm eager to see what takeaways it has in store...

Me on the wards in UZ Leuven.