MedEx Day 15

It felt great to be back on a schedule of lectures, presentations, and hands on activities! We started off the day with a mid-tier check in, and we expressed our opinions about the tier so far. So far, I have loved the people I have met and the opportunities and experiences I have had! We also checked in on our goals to see if we have met them, and I feel as though I have done a better job at truly getting to know everyone in the tier compared to tier one. We then met with Dr. Epright and our groups to discuss our progress on the Great Collaboration project, and I feel as though we have done a good job at putting the research together. All we have to do is use the information we have collected to form a convincing argument, which we have a pretty good idea about what ours is! We continued working on it by delegating roles as well as making good progress!

After lunch, Dr. Epright came back to do another ethics presentation, but this time it was about the right of patients for termination of treatment. It was extremely impactful to hear the stories of real patients who were put in excruciating, life threatening situations, but they were kept "alive" against the wishes of themselves or their parents. It was interesting to see how the capacity laws came about through heartbreaking cases such as Karen Ann Quinlan, who was in a PVS and was kept on a feeding tube, and a ventilator for many years, until her death despite the wishes of her parents to remove her from treatment. However, especially when dealing with mental health, the rules of determining "capacity" to make your own decisions are difficult. As a doctor, it is especially difficult as your whole job is helping patients live, and not "kill them" by taking them off of life support. However, at the end of the day, it is crucial to honor what the patient desires rather than doing a procedure just because you can. After seeing the stories of the struggles and pain the patients had to experience undergoing continued treatment with no end in sight, I would personally want to elect a natural death rather than continue to live in a life that doesn't seem to be worth it. If I become a doctor, I would one hundred percent want to elect for my parents wishes rather than my own capabilities.

After this lecture, we then heard from Ms. Jenn Maness, who I remember from tier one of MedEx. Hearing the stories of the work they do to raise money for the continued success of this program truly made me respect my opportunity, and desire to get the most out of it. I even was able to win a shirt at the end of the discussion, yay! After this, we heard from a dentist named Dr. Kathryn Freedman. She was super helpful in providing information about different dentistry opportunities, as well as the steps needed to become a dentist. Personally, I do not think I could be a dentist as I don't really admire teeth and gums, and I realized I am horrible at even the easiest questions concerned with 3D perceptibility! However, it was nice to learn her recommendations for oral health at the end, and I have even more admiration and respect for dentists!

As the virtual lecture on PA didn't work out, we were able to learn more about each other playing a game, which was great! I have enjoyed every opportunity to get closer to the rest of my tier mates!