Posted by Lieutenant Commander Drake Marshall (Surgical Chief/ Emergency Medicine) in Post Sim - Mentorship, for Better or Worse

Posted by Captain Dira Myqian (Commanding Officer) in Post Sim - Mentorship, for Better or Worse

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Drake Marshall (Surgical Chief/ Emergency Medicine) in Post Sim - Mentorship, for Better or Worse
Posted by… suppressed (6) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

Sen sucked in a breath and bllew it out, his antennae waving. “Alright, sounds like a plan then,” he said, trying to generate some enthusiasm. He really was interested in learning more, but also rather nervous. He didn’t need a repeat of his intern year surgical rotation.

~Dr. Ch’zaraahan, Resident

Drake leaned back in his chair, a grim look on his face. “What happened? Why does surgery scare you like this?” He imagined there would be some story about something going wrong or a terrible attending but any number of things were possible.

-Lt Cmdr Drake Marshall

The Andorian was quiet, his antennae quivering ever so slightly. “Just… it wasn’t a good time for me. Maybe I might have done better otherwise, but I don’t know. All I do know is that I hated every minute of it and I lost 3 patients in a row.” Sen shook his head. “The last was a child, and I barely passed my surgical rotation. If it weren’t for one of the residents sticking up for me, I probably would have failed. The Chief of Surgery seemed to listen to them, let me continue with my intern year.”

~Dr. Ch’zaraahan, Resident

Drake nodded and took it all in. “It’s a pressure cooker in there.” He nodded toward the OR. “You can get used to it. Right now it seems like you need guidance, build your confidence. Just remember; you helped save a life. That Betazoid. He would be dead if you had not identified the location of the bleed. Surgeons lose sometimes. But it’s important when you save someone to remember that too.”

-Lt Cmdr Drake Marshall, MD

Sen nodded. “I know losing a patient is inevitable. At the time, though…” He sighed, dipping his head. He wasn’t sure how to articulate that rotation other than demoralizing, and it wasn’t just the patients he lost.

~Dr. Ch’zaraahan, Resident

“I did my residency on the USS Hope. It was a ship a lot like this. Always busy.” Drake smiled and tried to put Sen at ease. “When I left there, what I didn’t know is… I didn’t know near enough. Surgery is a passion for me so I wanted to chase that. I was offered a chance to work out of the hospital at Earth Spacedock. If I signed up for emergency response team service as well. There was all the by the book work I could have wanted in the hospital. More senior doctors were handling more complex situations and then me. And then the alarms rang. I lost a lot of patients very quickly. Some I had to decide not to operate at all because their odds of surviving the procedure were low and there were dozens of other people who needed care. Had to prioritize, create treatments on the fly… I still don’t know it all. But I learned how to stay calm, set my plan, and put it into action. Even outside of surgery, it’s good to be able to do. And I think you can learn that stuff. So you’re ready for whatever comes your way. You’ll always remember the patients you lose. But remember the patients you save. The Ogawa has a crew member who lives on because you kept him stable and assisted me.”

-Lt Cmdr Drake Marshall, MD

Sen was quiet for several moments before he nodded. “I’m trying to keep that in mind, but…” The Andorian sighed. “The third-year surgical resident I was assigned to chewed me out for every mistake. A death?” He snorted. “It got to the point where I couldn’t even hold a laser scalpel without my hand shaking. The rotation couldn’t end fast enough. I just knew afterwards that I wasn’t cut out for surgery. I was’t tough enough, nor skilled enough.” Ch’zaraahan slumped in his chair. “I hear what you’re saying, that I can learn, and I believe, but I’m not sure it will be anything more than skills to fall back on in an emergency.”

~Dr. Ch’zaraahan, Resident

“I’m not expecting you to jump into a full time surgery job after. But when we’re done, maybe you’ll be more comfortable if you’re needed for an emergency. We have a surgical team. But when the ship is falling apart, and I need to call for backup” Drake pointed to Sen. “I want the help I trained.” He took a beat. “And that resident was an idiot. That’s no way to teach someone a delicate craft like surgery.”

-Lt Cmdr Drake Marshall, MD

“Perhaps so,” Sen said, his antennae waving. “But here he are,” he said with a sigh. “I know I’m not going to switch to surgery, but it would be nice to not be so damned afraid to even try.” The doctor sat up a little taller. “So, let’s do this. When’s my first shift with you?”

~Dr. Ch’zaraahan, Resident

Drake smiled. “Monday morning 0900.” He handed Sen a PaDD reflecting his altered schedule. “Welcome to the team, Doctor.”

When Sen had left the office, Drake’s hand drifted up to his comm badge. =/\=Captain Myqian, do you have a few minutes?=/\= His voice sounded weak.

-Lt Cmdr Drake Marshall, MD

There was a brief pause before the captain’s voice sounded through the comm. =/\=A few, yes. What’s up, Commander?=/\=

Captain Myqian, CO