During his rotation in Galesburg, medical student Ryan Gore (class of 2012) helped treat a young girl in respiratory distress. It was decided to airlift the girl to Peoria. Although medically the physicians gave great care and faciliated the transfer quickly, Ryan observed that the parents seemed lost. He came back later to speak more with them and realized they weren't from the area and didn't know where they were going. Ryan took the time to explain to them what to expect at the Children's Hospital of Illinois and in the Pediatric ICU. He talked with them about his experiences in following the course of care for another child, and warned them that their daughter's recovery could last weeks and involve being intubated for a time.
Ryan soon forgot about this conversation, which seemed a "small thing" to him. Weeks later, however, the parents asked another student to pass along their thanks to Ryan for helping them make sense of some of the chaos they were experiencing, and for giving them realistic expectations. Commenting on receiving their thanks, Ryan said, "So often in medicine we get a chance to go beyond what is required but unfortunately we rarely get to see the impact it makes. We can only remind ourselves that it is worth the effort."
Linda Rowe, EdD
Assistant Dean for Student Affairs
UICOMP
