Operation Theater/ENT

Thursday and Friday Courtney and I spent our time in ENT, which stands for Ear, Nose, and Throat (explanation for you dad since you hate when acronyms aren't explained). We were really excited because the other 2 groups of students had the chance to watch surgeries in the operation theater (OT) what they call the operation room here in India. We went to OT changed into scrubs, put on a hat, mask, and changed our shoes to flip flops and then we went in to watch a surgery. The practices are very different here in India. They are not as worried about having everything in the OT super sterilized. I mean the equipment that they use is and only certain people touch the sterile equipment, but other than that we were all allowed in the room and didn't have to wash our hands or anything. The doctor told us that he knows that would be very strange for us, but they really don't have a huge problem with post-operative infections. He also said that in India they aren't worried about patients suing, which they would be in the US. So we watched the first surgery a patient getting their adenoids out and I was fine with that. Then I started watching them repair a perforated tympanic membrane in the ear and started to feel really sweaty and lightheaded so I sat down. They told me that I should go sit in the hallway so I did that. Courtney had already decided that she couldn't handle it and had gone back to the outpatient department so I decided to go up there and that surgery wasn't the place for me.

Back in the outpatient department we talked with the doctors and residents and saw some patients. We got to see a patients vocal cords which was really neat. The doctor here was great about talking to us and explaining differences between healthcare in the US and India as well as cultural things about India. He gave us tips on places we should visit and things like that, which was really nice. He also gave us tips on how to be ok in OT. He said that we should make sure we eat a good breakfast, to chew gum, and bring snacks in case we get lightheaded again. He really wanted us to get the chance to see some surgeries so said that we would be going there again on Friday.

Today we mentally prepared ourselves for OT and made sure that we ate a good breakfast before we went. As we were both really excited the previous day to watch a surgery we hoped that we would be able to actually make it through one. We ended up watching an almost 3 hour surgery where the patient had a cancerous growth removed from his nose and then had reconstructive surgery on it. It was a plastic surgeon who did the whole thing. He did a pretty nice job of explaining what he was doing to us and it was very interesting to watch. If you'd like more of a description of the surgery I would happy to give it to you, but I don't want to write about it on here to gross everyone out. We also ended up being the official photographers of the surgery and took pictures throughout the surgery so he had them for his own use or to teach with. I'm not really 100% of the purpose of the pictures, but we at least had some part in the surgery. I was very glad that we both were able to watch this surgery and not get grossed out or lightheaded or anything even though it was much grosser than yesterdays. I still don't think I could probably be a pharmacist in an OR all the time, but now I know that I can make it through and not pass out.

We took more pictures on Courtney's camera today of us with our masks/hats, etc. so I'm sure she will post them on her blog soon so you should check them out (and you can also hear her version of the events).

Excited for the first time going into the OT

What the OT looks like and I am standing where Courtney and I were most of the surgery