After close to 20 years of practicing internal medicine, I have a reasonably sound knowledge of the work done by internists and family medicine physicians. I am also very aware that practicing medicine is not a solo activity, but a team event requiring the expertise of many disciplines. As the years go by, I grow ever more impressed with the unique and interdependent contributions made be all members of the team.
I also confess, here and now, that on some deep level I do not fully understand how the other team members accomplish such amazing things, day by day, hour by hour. It mystifies me. How do they do it? Each field, each discipline has its own wow factor, something so incredible I marvel at what they do.
I want to review here just a little of what wows me about other medical specialties. There are many fields I won’t mention, but rest assured, this is simply a matter of space constraints. I marvel at what everyone in the medical field does.
Surgeons. They cut open people’s bodies, look inside, repair damaged parts where possible, take other parts out of the body, then sew it back up. How incredible is that? They combine the attributes and finesse of the sculptor and the tailor in a single package.
Psychiatrists. They delve into the mysteries of the human psyche and formulate elaborate pharmacologic cocktails to refresh and rejuvenate. They combine the best of the artist and the magician. Amazing.
Pediatricians. How can one spend his or her days trying to figure out what is wrong with tiny people who cannot talk and weigh less than my left leg? They are accomplished miniaturists with a gentle touch. And then they have to deal with the parents! Beyond belief!
Radiologists. Living in a realm of darkness, they look beneath our skin and make our insides visible to the whole world. These people are the skilled and sublime photographers of the profession. Their ultimate aim, of course, is to make the physical examination obsolete. Astonishing.
Dermatologists. On a surface level, it seems they have the easiest job. As other physicians often snark behind closed doors, “All they deal with is the skin.” But the skin is the largest organ of the human body, and reveals so much of what lies buried within, physically and emotionally. Dermatologists are skilled cartographers mapping the human condition. Imagine that.
Anesthesiologists. While a specialty whose forte is putting people to sleep may sound soporific, these doctors take utter and complete control of our bodies without our even knowing. With focused attention, these meticulous engineers orchestrate our every heartbeat, our every breath, for hours at a time. Incredible
Pathologists. To spend time looking into the microscope, examining small pieces of tissue ripped from the human body may seen arcane, but I am so impressed that people are willing to do this. You know there must be something intrinsically wonderful about this specialty when one of the most-watched TV shows in America focuses on pathologists.
Allergists. Sometimes I feel sorry for allergists. Hay fever, asthma, hay fever, asthma. It must get boring. But the allergists can do more to improve people’s quality of life than most specialists. Allergists are the environmentalists of medicine. Those afflicted with allergies dearly love their allergist. Can you blame them?
Neurologists. These doctors are the electricians of the profession. Through careful history-taking and weird examination methods, they figure out where our wiring has frayed, identify short circuits, learn why the amperage is dropping. Patients with neurological diseases are some of the most frustrated patients in all of medicine, and neurologists handle them with the patience of Job. Wow!
Head and neck. Thank goodness some physicians like to look into ears, noses, and throats all day long, right? They are guardians of our ability to sing, love music, and relish a fantastic meal. Life would be gray indeed without doctors devoted to protecting these vital senses.
Urologists. The expert plumbers of the profession, they make sure our hydraulics are in good working order. Most people would give anything to not require a personal urologists, but are ever so grateful there are physicians willing to serve then the need arises.
Ophthalmologists. The very idea of a doctor hovering over my eyeballs with a scalpel makes me shiver. But without these doctors, the beauty of sunsets, the power of books, even the anesthesia of television would be at risk. What would life be like without “The Sopranos” and Moby Dick?
Obstetrician-gynecologists. The safety and health of the human race rests heavily in the hands and minds of these doctors. While they focus on the better half of the human race, their miracles bring joy to us all. They are maestros with an incredible range and versatility. Our species would not be the same if they were not here.
Orthopedists. Without the carpenters of the profession, sports would become an endangered endeavor, our senior years would be spent with fewer options for mobility, and the number of disabled parking spaces would have to triple. I so appreciate those who wield the saw and the hammer.
Podiatrists. I grow happy whenever I contemplate the foot angels. Feet are the most unappreciated organs in the body, until the day they go on strike and we realize we cannot treat them with such callus disregard. Podiatrists patiently accept their assignment starting off as supporting actors, knowing they always end up starring in leading roles.
Physiatry. Miracle workers, these, helping patients other physicians have often given up on. They are like miners finding diamonds and gold hiding beneath the hills. And they do so with the infectious optimism and spirit we al need.
Emergency Medicine. These are the doctors no one in their right mind wants to see, but these professionals do not take this personally. Like lifeguards on a stormy beach, they understand. ED docs must combine the broadest scope of practice in medicine with lightning-like reflexed. We are all fortunate that ED docs exist.
Occupational Medicine. The jurists of the profession, these docs must balance competing interests, treating both patients and employers with expertise and diplomacy. These physicians find their satisfaction in resolving some of the toughest cases imaginable.
Now you might see why I titled this post “The Wow Factor.” Isn’t wow the precise word what comes to mind when you think of what these doctors do? I am glad they are all on the team. Each is indispensable. Health care would not be the same without the diversity of skills, interests, and knowledge these specialties bring. I stand in awe of each of them. Wow.