CancerCompass message board discussion started by Totallythecoolest on 9/23/2007 http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,16424,0.htm Wed, 20 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT Wed, 20 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/ I am a resident physician in Family Medicine. As a requirement for the program, every resident is asked to submit a project detailing a way to make the program better. Most of my fellow residents do their project on ways to improve efficiency. Others choose to improve the scientific knowledge of the fellow residents. I wanted to do something a little different. I have personal experience with cancer as the family member of a patient. As such, I feel I have a unique perspective as to the doctor patient relationship. During my family's ordeal, we had some amazing experiences with doctors. Some of our other experiences, though, were horrible beyond imagining. As such, I wanted more for myself and my fellow residents. That being said, I wanted to put together a presentation with thoughts from actual patients and their families. I was hoping to find out what they actually think about their doctors both good and bad. I want myself and my fellow residents to learn how to better approach patients. That is where you come in. As people who are surviving cancer every day, your lives are intermeshed with your doctors. So what do you really think about them? What do you like? What do you hate? If you could change one thing about them, what would it be? If you have any information such as opinions, stories etc you could send my way, I would really be honored. I would also appreciate any video clips on this subject. I know this is asking a lot and I am grateful for your time. I look foward to hearing from you. Thank you for your time. I will try to check this forum as much as I can but please email at --Message edited by CancerCompass staff. For personal protection, email address removed. Consider private reply. Please review CancerCompass Member Guidelines at http://www.cancercompass.com/common/guidelines.html--with any info, questions, comments or concerns. Totallythecoolest Sun, 23 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT I think the most frustrating thing for me being a cancer patient with a rare form of cancer - carcinoid Ca with mets to the liver- is that if you are dealing with a patient that is out of your comfort zone or knowledge base - please do not be to proud to refer them elsewhere.  I have been dealing with local doctors since December of 06 with this new diagnosis and also a new baby as of December 06 and they just really say lets just wait and see what happens.   You know - when you are dealing with cancer you do not usually want to just wait and see what happens.  There are not a lot of specialist for this type cancer and the closest to me was in Kenner LA.  So after months of local and surgeons saying that I was inoperable - we decided to seek the opinion of this doctor in Kenner.  He recommended surgery on the the first visit - one month later I had surgery - small intestine resection, gall bladder removed and liver resection.  I am feeling great and the doctors are thinking one more surgery and I will be disease free.  My fear is what if I had not taken action upon myself to seek another opinion - where would I be now and how much would my prognosis differ..    Just always please keep your patients best interest at heart and keep your pride out of the picture.  Thanks Live4him Fri, 12 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT