Ophthalmology and ENT

Well, I just finished my brief spell in the specialties of Ophthalmology (the study of the eye) and ENT (Ear Nose Throat, or Otolaryngology to the Americans). Two weeks in each. The word "Specialty" I suppose implies that it is special, and indeed it was.

Ophthalmology was interesting, in its own strange way. I spent the first week feeling like everyone was literally talking in a different language... The complexity of the subject can be appreciated simply by the fact that, in any textbook of ophthalmology aimed at primary carers and medical students, there are only a few conditions that does not carry the recommendation: "Refer to ophthalmologist urgently".

ENT, on the other hand... was... well, let's simply say, special. Let's look at it this way. When I looked up, in a textbook, a chapter called "ENT emergencies", the first one was "epistaxis", or nose bleed. Now, I am aware that very severe nose bleeds can be a big deal, but it really was a bit of an anticlimax. Considering ophthalmology had in its list of emergencies such impressive-sounding things as "sudden loss of vision", "sudden onset diplopia" and the like... a nose bleed really seems sort of humourous. And so it was for the rest of the specialty. ENT is indeed a complex subject (in its own simple sort of way), and interesting, in small-ish doses. But sitting in the ENT clinic listening to complaints of ear infections and runny noses just seems oddly humourous. It is no defect of the specialty or of the department that lead me to feel rather bored, I am entirely convinced it is due to my own ineptitude toward anything surgical. As the registrar kindly said: "You did a good job feigning interest for two weeks".

I do feel a bit apologetic for this, because a medical student could not have asked for better clinical teachers. As such, I have no taste for surgery, just as a person may have no business sense or no ear for music.

Anyway, without further ado, and continuing the tradition of previous terms, here are some "quotable quotes" of Ophthalmology and ENT.

By the way, if you are wondering why I am blogging so much this week... it's because I have finished my ENT assignment early, and have been "let off the hook" from attending a few clinics and surgeries... and thus with a reasonable amount of time on my hands. Next week I will be in Critical Care, and possibly not so care-free.

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Ophthalmology Registrar: "Dr K is good with eyes." (I giggled at this... he's an ophthalmologist, of course he is good with eyes! On the other hand, I suppose it is the highest praise you can give to a doctor... to be simply good at what he is supposed to be doing.)

Ophthalmology Registrar: "Why go watch the cataract surgery? You could go to the library and watch a cataract surgery on Youtube, and you get a running commentary on it. Don't bother, it's boring."

Ophthalmology Registrar: "Do you know anything about the retinal changes in macula degeneration... no, let's simplify this. Do you know anything about macula degeneration? Who am I kidding, you're a med student. You wouldn't know anything. Let me explain."

Ophthalmology Registrar: "Have you considered specialising in Ophthalmology, Sida?"
Sida: "No."
Ophthalmology Registrar: "That was rather emphatic."
Sida: "Oh... sorry."

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ENT registrar: "This patient presented with a severe case of runny nose."

ENT registrar: "Most salivary gland tumours arise from the parotid gland. Do you know where the opening of this salivary gland is?"
Sida: "It makes saliva... so in the mouth."

ENT consultant: "I'm a microsurgeon and I can't type."

ENT consultant: "Where does the rash in Ramsay-Hunt syndrome appear?"
Sida: "Um... we are in the Ear Nose Throat department... so I'm going to guess the ear, nose, and throat?"
ENT: "Amazingly you are right, except it doesn't appear in the nose."

Med student: "So why are you cutting little squares?"
ENT consultant: "Because little circles are too hard to cut."

Surgeon: "There appears to be quite a bit of bleeding."
Anaethetist: "Well that is because you keep poking it with your sharp instrument! I can promise you if you stop poking it it will stop bleeding."

Surgeon: "We will be finishing early today because our last patient cancelled the surgery."
Sida: "What a shame."
Passing nurse: "Your smile gives you away."
Sida: "I don't know what you are talking about..."

(And this following one doesn't really have much to do with either specialty...)
Med student: "Ooo, what's that book you are reading?"
Sida (shows her the cover): "The Confessions of St Augustine."
Med student: "Sounds interesting. Who wrote it?"