Six Hours

I started a super tiny (one day every other week) gig where I'm working in a clinic seeing patients with an Attending. It's fairly standard outpatient internal medicine stuff- very much bread and butter cases with a couple of zebras thrown in. It's only six hours, but it's the highlight of my week, every week. It goes too fast. I had my second day this past week and honestly? It felt like I had finally found water after being stuck in a desert for far too long. I felt rusty at first, but I slid back into my routine soon and enough and I could literally feel the cobwebs being shaken off of my brain. The thrill that comes with putting seemingly isolated physiological occurrences together to finally diagnose a patient- that "Aha!" moment- it's honestly indescribable. I love it. I feel like I'm finally coming up for air. Even the most straightforward (aka "boring") cases make me happy, because it's just another excuse for me to hone my craft. I don't introduce myself as "Doctor" because given the circumstances, I don't feel justified in using that title just yet. Still though, it's a rush and a small point of personal pride to be able to admit, at least to myself, that I actually am an MD and that  I now have the opportunity to "practice" medicine. It's such a privilege. Such an honor. And for six hours every other week, it's mine to enjoy.