One of the great joys we have at Hey Clinic and over at Duke Raleigh Hospital is the chance to inspire and encourage and train the next generation of caregivers.

Yesterday for example we had Meredith with us for the whole day, watching a complex anterior-posterior scoliosis surgery, and then hanging out with us for a half-day clinic.   Meredith is a pre-med at UNC.  She emailed me last night with a few of the things she learned in just one day with us!   Man, she is a smart one.

Here are her lessons learned yesterday:

1.   Don’t separate my faith from my profession; medicine as a ministry tool.       
2. The OR requires team work
   3.       Surgeons can be goofy, and the OR is a fun environment e.g. jamming to music and “sculpting”
   4.       Never be afraid to ask a question, everyone was happy to answer all mine!
   5.       The human body has 5L of blood
   6.       I can watch a surgery without passing out!
   7.       Blood loss is low in Dr. Hey’s surgeries, and the patient’s blood is re-circulated during surgery
   8.       The nervous system is monitored during surgery via sensory and motor reflexes to prevent any damage to spinal nerves during the placement of hardware in the spine
   9.       A sterile environment is created in blue, anyone not “scrubbed in” must remain 1 foot from the area
   10.   Scrubs are even more comfortable than I could have hoped!
   11.   There are 3 stages to treatment in many patients with back problems: non-surgical (e.g. weight management, brace, exercise), epidural steroid injection, and lastly surgery
   12.   Epidural Steroid Injections are a secondary approach to lower back pain and work by lessening the pressure on the spinal cord nerves, a patient can only receive 3 a year
   13.   After inserting the screws, rods, and other hardware flexibility and bending of the spinal column is limited/lost in that area
   14.   A brace can be used to help young children who have scoliosis maintain their spinal shape (to prevent worsening)
   15.   Early onset scoliosis can be corrected when a child is 9-10 years old and weighs about 70-75 lbs. in a more permanent manner
   16.   Approach the health problem as a “team:” the patient, family, and doctor on one team against the problem
   17.   The Hey Clinic is committed to teaching their patients—showing them their MRIs and CT Scans, while explaining them using models and analogies
   18.   Spending time educating, talking, and sympathizing with patients increases their compliance and trust
   19.   I have a lot to learn!
   20.   I feel confident health care is the right field for me!!