Reflections of a pupil : what your med school and ophthalmology textbooks can't teach you (but what your mentors, colleagues, and patients will)

Reflections of a Pupil weaves together the rich tapestry of lessons that Dr. R. Rishi Gupta has learned from his unique journey through the art and science of medicine. Although trainees and junior attendings in the field of ophthalmology have ready access to the technical aspects of their field, this invaluable text will help these professionals focus on many other issues equally vital to their success: resiliency, communication, mentorship, ethics, and life-long learning. Dr. Gupta offers short, easy-to-read stories and case studies (with no memorization involved) that will resonate deeply with physicians. Readers will discover how it is possible to juggle the surgical, clinical, practical, and interpersonal demands of their specialties—while still maintaining a positive work-life balance. Written from the perspective of a peer, Reflections of a Pupil challenges readers to find the lessons that life and their profession continuously present for them. Dr. Gupta offers medical students, residents, and junior attendings easily digestible food for thought about how to grow into the physicians they have always wanted to be. Foreword Preface 1 IN THE OPERATING ROOM AND CLINIC Never Operate on the Wrong Eye Make the Jump: From Resident to Fellow Pick Up the Last Chart Taking the Leap from Training to Attending Gotta Have the Goldilocks Touch Know Your Audience Put Me In, Coach! The Only Suture You’ll Regret Is the One You Didn’t Put In Don’t Smoosh the Eye We Are the Pilots There’s More Than One Way to Skin a Cat Embrace Your Inner Detective He Let ’Em Get Away with It! Don’t Let the Holes Overlap What If... ? The Active Observer Don’t Take the Report as Gospel Practice Makes Permanent The Independent Surgeon Perfect Is the Enemy of Good Don’t Fight Yourself Shoot for 100 Percent Excuse Me for Saying “Oops!” Last Line of Defense Don’t Get Balderdashed! Don’t Flip-Flop Provide Anesthesia unto Others as You Would Have It Provided unto Yourself The Indication for Doing Is Having It Cross Your Mind Bad Form Keep It Clean The Only Way to Never Have Surgical Complications Is to Never Operate Sound Intentions... But Poor Planning and Execution 2 PRACTICE MANAGEMENT AND CAREER PLANNING Come on Time and Bring Cookies Pick Up the Phone Don’t Leave Anyone Out Do a Self-Audit from Time to Time Document Well Who Do You Think You’re Dealing With? Minimizing Patient Grievances Privacy Is Dead (and the Internet Killed It!) Extra! Extra! Read All About It! Be Kind to Your Colleagues Let ’Em Know What You Want Don’t Just Go with the Flow—Manage It! Fast and Careless Loses the Race Food for Thought The Case That Got Away Don’t Be the Dinosaur You Only Find What You Know to Look For Find Efficiencies for Repetitive Tasks Two Thumbs Down Soak in the Business Take Time to Teach What Do You Think? Conflicted About Your Interests? Sometimes You Gotta Be the Bad Guy 3 PATIENT INTERACTIONS Be Kind to Your Patients Thank You for Your Patience Web of Lies Walk a Mile in Your Patients’ Shoes Keep ’Em Coming Back Great Expectations Get Your Head Out of That Screen! Don’t Get Too Cozy Truly Informed Decisions Make the Connection Always Validate Your Patient’s Experience Can You Say That Again, But This Time So It Makes Sense? That Made Sense! But Now I Don’t Remember Any of It... I Gotta Feeling Tough Question! Better Than the Boss What’s the (Full) Story, Morning Glory? You Can Choose Your Friends, But You Can’t Choose Your Patients You Can’t Win ’Em All Worst Behavior 4 LIFE LESSONS “A Goal Without a Plan Is a Wish” Make Your Slope a Little Steeper What’s Your Greatest Strength? If We Were All the Same, It’d Be a Boring World Sometimes the Squeaky Wheel Gets the Grease, and Sometimes It Gets Replaced Go Where You Want to Be Please, Tell Me How You Really Feel Time Flies (Make Sure You’re On Board) If He Can Do It, I Can Too! Always Look Like a Winner Learn to Say No These Are My Confessions I Did Everything I Could Don’t Forget! Don’t Let the Fall Crush You An Error Is Wasted If You Don’t Learn from It No Regrets How Do You Deal with Defeat? Don’t Live in Relative Poverty Attend Your Own Funeral Reflections of a Pupil Acknowledgments