Today I'm doing one of my "playing patient" gigs. My local university hospital has what's called a "standardized patient" program, where actors (well, *some* are actors) play the part of being a patient for student doctors in training. The students sometimes have to just diagnose, sometimes treat, and sometimes have to learn bedside manner techniques.
Today I play a patient who has had a headache for over 20 years. He's had surgeries and treatments but nothing works.
As fate would have it, I actually have a headache today, with pain in the areas that are described in the case. I must be working on my "method acting" techniques without realizing it.
My first doctor was a nice young lady. Very personable. Good with notes. Pretty much asked all the right questions.
Second doctor looked the part, but didn't ask pertinent questions which might have gotten me to reveal information which would have helped his diagnosis. Was very unprepared too. Constantly looking at his cheat sheet, ignoring me for minutes at a time. Find even perform a basic physical exam (which is standard procedure on ANY patient). FAIL.
Doctor three asked lots of pertinent questions, but got all flustered during the physical exam, constantly apologizing when she messed up or took too long doing something. Wearing sandal/shoes didn't do much to make me admire her professionalism either...
My final doctor was a bit... flamboyant, but asked a lot of good questions, took a lot of good notes, but despite this, continued to ask many of the same questions over and over. You'd think having it in front of him in his own handwriting would jog his memory. Oh, and if you haven't gotten that reflex action with the hammer after three tries, move on. Seven whacks in the same spot DOES get irritating...
Tomorrow I go back to have them practice Osteopathic Manipulations. With any luck, my spine won't get severed.
No comments:
Post a Comment