February 8, 2017
Students in leadership training got a crash course in medicine as they toured Marshall Medical South and talked to doctors about local healthcare opportunities.
Dr. Andrew Vann, director of emergency medicine at South, told Marshall County Youth Leadership students there are many skills required to do the job well.
“You need to develop your people skills,” he said. “You’ve got to be a good listener and you’ve got to be able to communicate.”
Doctors must get their patient’s information, no matter what condition they’re in or what language they speak. Dr. Vann is fluent in Spanish, which he often uses with his patients and is frequently called on to interpret for the hospital.
The juniors from nine high schools in Marshall County were interviewed and selected for the program. They meet monthly throughout the school year to find out about their home county, as well as to practice the qualities of a leader.
MCYL is sponsored by the Marshall County Leadership Challenge Alumni, Citizen’s Bank and Marshall Medical Centers.
Dr. Vann told students the Boaz emergency department sees many patients with chest pains and pneumonia. Doctors do a lot of small surgeries, such as sewing up cuts. The most difficult part of the job, he said, is when you cannot help someone at all.
“You learn your limits,” he said. “Sometimes the best we can do is comfort the patient and their families.”
He warned students against going into the profession if wealth is their goal. While doctors are paid well, it is essential they enjoy treating patients or they will not like the job.
“If you do it to be rich, I don’t think you’ll be happy,” he said. “If that’s the reason you do it, you may not be a good doctor. At the end of the day, if you want to be a doctor because you like to take care of people then you’re probably on the right track.”
Dr. Kathleen Evans is a cardiologist with the Heart Center in Huntsville working full time at Marshall South. As a high school student, she knew she wanted to go into medicine but became discouraged in college because she had no connections to help her. Neither of her parents went to college. Neither of her two sisters finished college.
“If you really want to do it you just have to find a way,” she told students. “You don’t have to have a mommy or daddy doctor.”
Instead, Dr. Evans advised students to get involved in college. Do volunteer work. Sitting with a sick person in your church can be helpful. Any kind of experience is better than no experience.
“If you want to be a doctor, be prepared for what you’re getting into,” she said.
Dr. Evans also urged students to live frugally while they’re getting their education instead of taking all loan money available to them. Loans are difficult to pay back, especially after you have a family, she said.