Assume the Position: Memoirs of an Obstetrician Gynecologist Page 19

  One can imagine all the negatives one hears about going into the field of Obstetrics and Gynecology, often expressed by my medical colleagues themselves. I heard them all: “The hours are awful”; “The patients are needy”; “ Your family life will be terrible”; “ The smells can be overwhelming”; “You will always be exhausted and sleep deprived”; “Why would you want to deal with women all day long”; “It requires an inordinate amount of patience”. These were but a few. But for me the positives far outweighed the negatives. The decision was made and my life was about to change forever – I hoped for the positive, because I was about to jump in 100%.

  After 28 years in medicine, and 20 years in active clinical practice of Obstetrics and Gynecology in one of the largest group practices in Phoenix, Arizona, the medical vignettes I have recounted are all true; the fears I have tapped into, my own and those of many of my patients, are as they occurred; the trials and tribulations of my patients are recounted as accurately as possible with names deleted or changed. For many people, the life of an Obstetrician and Gynecologist is often the butt of many late night jokes at parties and on television. The mythology surrounding the specialty is extensive. I have tried to bring the patients and their stories to life. My personal experiences and thoughts in dealing with these patients, heretofore known only to me, have now seen daylight. Many readers will I am sure see their own fears and lives exposed; and many will be able to relate only in the sense that they are glad that none of these events and scenarios depicted have ever happened to them. Husbands, boyfriends, significant others will now know more about what goes on behind the closed doors of a world which many wonder about, and many choose not to enter. And perhaps for those considering the specialty in the future, this book will be an eye opener. Medicine in general requires dedication and love. It becomes our master. We cannot escape the fact that we are physicians until we hit the grave. But it is a fulfilling and all encompassing life from which one can learn a tremendous amount about the depth and breadth of the human species. It is a totally unselfish existence. At its core, it simply demands caring for other human beings.