Sunday, May 17, 2015

Today I will . . . our paths cross. Congratulations, Peter.


Does anyone remember the post “Other Dreamers–Life Changes  I did way back in April 2013? I never mentioned the video blogger by name. Today I will. Because ou see this year our paths crossed. I will publish my first story this year and today. . . today he graduated from medical school.

Meet Peter Wingfield MD  .

Peter Michael Wingfield M.D. 
University of Vermont College of Medicine
May 17, 2015



I guess I could  just respond to his tweet. I know he will at some point today. Maybe when he comes down from his high. I know he’ll have that, too.

But one hundred and forty characters are simply not enough when words want to spill out and over the restricted space. Peter Wingfield has been one of my favorite actors for a long time, even if I've only been an "official" fan for less than five years. With rare exception I always liked what he acted in and, even in that rare exception, enjoyed his performances. In 2011, he upped  my respect for him by re-entering medical school at the age of 48. Yes, a brave man.

I’m an experienced RN and have primarily worked in true teaching hospitals, the ones where you can watch confused, nervous med students and residents turn into confident practitioners. It’s a marvelous thing to watch. It’s also stressful, heart-breaking, and maddening.

Yes, I wrote this in his freshman/sophomore year of med school. I knew he was going to do it, you see. Never a doubt in my mind.

Residency is coming, I know, July 1st – a red letter day in almost all teaching hospitals with flocks of new long white coats invading the hallways. Oh, the memories the date evokes. Eager, enthusiastic, stoic, bewildered, anxious. The facial expressions run the gamit. "Excuse me, how do I page this person?" "How do I get to radiology from here?" In some ways, it reminds me of a gaggle of puppies.

I almost wish I could be the nurse on his first rotation who goes up to him and says, “Doctor, I’m concerned about. . .”, just to see if he will look quickly over his shoulder to see who I am talking to, then realize he’s the doctor I’m talking to! I’ve seen that double-take. . . so many times and it never failed to make me smile. Will he react that way? I actually don’t believe he will but I think he’ll feel the moment. I wonder, Peter, if you will share some of that inner dialogue with us? Perhaps not, it’s time to fly.

 I have been told Peter would like to continue meeting up with fans but I think we will see even less of him, if at all. Medical school is not a walk in the park but residency is grueling almost to the point of brutal. Peter isn’t going into general surgery or any of its sub-specialties where I have most of my experience but . . . no. Other things must come first: his training, his family, his health. The prediction makes me a little sad, I must be honest, but when I think of this warm, compassionate man out in the world as a physician I can only give an enthusiastic arm-pump and say, “YES!”
 
Well done, Peter. . . Well Done.
And my most sincere congratulations to the entire 2015 graduating class of  the University of Vermont College of Medicine.