 Inside the ER
Most of us are fascinated by what goes on behind the scenes in a hospital—as evidenced by the popularity of TV shows like M*A*S*H, ER, Scrubs, and Grey’s Anatomy. Michelle Pearl-Davis, an emergency medicine resident physician at Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, gets to see it all firsthand. The reality, she says, is much different from what appears on the small screen.
“TV dramas are just that—dramas,” says Pearl-Davis (BA, Physical Education, ’96; MA, Physical Education, ’98), who received her doctorate in osteopathic medicine from Touro University. “An emergency room is most effective when the physicians, nurses, and staff are calm and systematic about treating patients. TV shows portray a chaotic, uncomfortable, and over-dramatized environment. I think the biggest myth is how often the staff on these shows end up in intimate relationships.”
In addition, emergency room staff are not necessarily deprived of sleep. Pearl-Davis says workweek regulations limit her to 60 or fewer hours of work a week. She has managed to carve out free time to explore New York City with her husband, Zach Davis (BA, Art, ’98), an art educator and artist.
That said, emergency medicine is an intense line of work. “I work four to five 12-hour shifts a week, and from the moment I enter the hospital, I’m so busy that I usually do not have time to eat, drink, or even go to the bathroom,” explains Pearl-Davis. “I see about 12–15 patients in a shift, and I am always busy doing procedures such as suturing lacerations, intubating patients with respiratory distress, casting broken bones, starting central venous IVs, performing CPR …”
For Pearl-Davis, the greatest reward of her career comes from helping people who need that help. She hopes to eventually work in an underserved community in the United States or abroad. Her experience in emergency medicine will leave her well prepared, she says. “Our training is very broad, and we are required to know how to treat any possible medical problem that comes through the door. This gives emergency physicians the opportunity to work anywhere and to help everyone.”
Anna Harris, Public Affairs and Publications
|
