Relationships with patients can be the most satisfying part of our practice but can also serve as our greatest source of stress. These are lessons I learned from 24 years in private practice in a town located just a few miles from the family farm where I grew up. My patient population consisted of family members, friends, and acquaintances. Many of those relationships were forged long before I started medical school.
I recently met a young physician who had reached the same crossroad where I once stood; she questioned if she should continue in a smalltown practice where every public encounter can easily turn into an office visit. I was happy to offer insight and a sympathetic ear.
"I can't even go to my children's school functions without some measure of dread," she began. "There is no privacy here."
I pointed toward a bench just inside the door of the gym, and we sat down while her young daughters happily picked up a ball and started to play. "Sometimes it just helps to laugh," I said with a smile, making certain no one was within earshot.
You Can't Make This Up
I told her that I had just come from the funeral home, where I gave condolences to my patient's family.
