To wonder where the medical student was?

[girlfriend44]

Anyone work at the doctors, or just know the answer in general?

Went to the doctors yesterday I was told on the phone the doctor would have a medical student in with him and they were just checking it was alright. Thats when I made the appointment.

When I turned up to the appointment receptionist also said there's a student in with doctor.
I thought quite alot about this and wondered what it would be like?
When I went into the Surgery, the doctor was alone and no medical student was there.

I just sort of mentioned it but didn't get much of an answer, other than they obvs weren't there.

Might sound trivial but wondered why they weren't there after being told they were. I also thought about this alot because actually I.prefer to see the doctor alone but thought it would be a good thing to do as students need to spent time at a practice I guess?

Is this a normal thing?
How come the receptionist didn't realise they weren't there? I guess they hadn't been told?
Has this happened to you?

Cloak of Invisibility - maybe?

More likely a 'comfort break'

Had to take the kids to the pool.

Coffee, pee, cry in the loo? Who knows.

Maybe they know you and excused themselves.

Maybe they're pregnant and went to vomit. Maybe they have heavy periods? So many reasons. Just not an issue.

I can confirm this - I once (as an inpatient, not at the GP's) had to lie with a camera up my bum for several very long minutes while some students were sent for, because my colon was so spectacularly ulcerated that the doctor doing the colonoscopy wanted them to see it 'live'! I am rather proud of this 😂

Gosh, you must have a carefree life if this all you have to worry about.
Why the issue with having a med student present? They haven't just been dragged off the street to have a look at a few random pts, ffs!

I hope you have the video, or at least some stills from it!!!

Whenever I have a med student, I check everyone’s list for the day to see if there might be something more interesting than what’s on my list at any point that they might like to sit in for! That’s likely what’s happened.

Either that or they needed a poo.

The doctor did genuinely offer me some images at the time (I was tempted, but declined), and my consultant brings up the file at every single appointment and tries to show my DH, who is spectacularly squeamish. They are quite something.

🤣🤣

Maybe there was a more interesting case in another room? I took my son to the GPs for mumps. He was under 5. The doctor had 2 med students in with him because they specifically wanted to see him and I had said yes. DS had had 1 dose of MMR, so he was quizzing them about that. They were quite sweet and weirdly excited.

Is this a typo? Normal labour at 29 weeks? I wouldn't have said yes to students in that situation.

I had a brilliant student midwife when I was in labour at 39 weeks though, it was excellent to have an extra pair of hands and she was so thrilled.

Another patient had a more interesting illness than yours

exactly.... no 29 weeks is not normal... but i think to them it was 'normal' if unique if that makes sense and it was a learning experience for the trainee midwives.

my DD recently had a student midwife and i honestly do not think she would have got through it as well as she did if the midwife was not there.. she was amazing.. its a job i could not do.

my 2nd DD was a bit scarier at 26 weeks! this was back in the days when they were very honest and said if she came there would be no medical intervention.. there wasn't room in the room for students then and i absolutely would have said no!. thankfully.. they persuaded baby to hang in for a few more weeks.

It is worth considering that many medical students are fairly young, probably don't drive/ have their own car and need to rely on public transport. One of dd's friends had to catch a bus at 6.40am to get to the placement on time and if that (first bus of the day) didn't turn up then she would miss the connection to the next bus. They can't all have nearby placements.

I was just thinking the same @Unexpecteddrivinginstructor we get students placed in our area, which is so tricky for them by public transport that the hospital tries to arrange lodgings for them down here. But doesn’t have enough. So can quite imagine a scenario where a medical student would struggle to always be on time to attend here. In fact some surgeries must be pretty much inaccessible for any student without a car.

Possibly hiding in the Sluice Room, as they are a bit shy and rather squeamish?