Highlights of Trauma Surgery at Cook County

We recently received this posting for our blog.  We value our Medical Students who rotate with us.

Life of a 4^th year medical student from Ross University School of Medicine (Caribbean school) entails a level of anxiety that is magnified by moving from state to state, living with strangers, and working with attendings and residents with personalities and expectations rather different from one another. Since I decided I wanted to go into surgery, I eagerly signed up for a Trauma Surgery elective at Cook County which turns out to be one of the most fulfilling rotations I have ever done.

Cook County Level 1 Trauma surgery elective rotation is one that resonates with me for multiple reasons. One, it was my first exposure to patients with penetrating trauma such as gunshot and stab wounds requiring invasive and emergent lifesaving procedures that I had only heard of such as bedside thoracotomies and cardiac massage. Two, at Cook County, the staff treat all patients that roll into the front room with respect, quality care, and compassion regardless of their socioeconomic status, the things they have done prior, and the mechanism and reason of the injury. Doctors see them at intake all the way to follow up, addressing their needs from performing emergent surgeries to ensuring that patients have adequate amount of wound dressing supplies to take home and are safe at home.

Every day, the Trauma surgeons at Cook County work diligently in making sure that patients receive quality care by resolving issues by systems with evidenced based practice and that the patient condition and individualized plan of care are made known to the families at all times. All the attendings have shown pride in nurturing the academic, professional, and personal growth of residents and medical students. They lead the team by not creating followers but by creating new leaders—fellows and chief residents are able to function almost like junior attendings and are given constructive criticism of their diagnostic plans and management, help in refinement of surgical techniques, and time to reflect and share their thought processes during conferences regardless of the outcome of critical cases. It was encouraging to see them invest in our medical education and give us opportunities to feel like we play an integral part of the team. The team patiently listened and acknowledged my patient presentations and considered the plans I formulated. I was not just a patient transport to CT scan. I was a “doctor” and was given the privilege to provide direct patient care and function as a team member which made my whole experience so much more meaningful.

To the Cook County Trauma team of surgeons and ER physicians, thank you for reminding me of why I wanted to become a surgeon. I hope that you continue to become extensions of God’s healing powers especially in the most critical state intra-op and recovery phase. May your voice bring clarity, truth, and comfort to families and patients in distress. And may your experience and breadth of knowledge help bring the pieces of the puzzles together to formulate individualized and evidence-based care. Most importantly, thank you for creating an exceptionally safe and positive learning environment for me and the rest of the students. My hope is to have the privilege to do the same in the near future.

By Ruth P. Gerola