Today was equally busy and eventful. We started the schedule off with a newborn baby, just five days old and here for the first checkup of his life. I was not expecting him to be so tiny — he was almost like a doll in his mother’s hands! His two four-year-old brothers had also accompanied him to his appointment, and there was not a single moment of quiet during the checkup. While they fought over who was to hold their mother’s phone, blasting an episode of Daniel Tiger, their baby brother cried as Dr. Villareal tried to talk to the mother. Eventually the nurse came in, having heard the commotion and trying to alleviate the situation with crayons and paper, but by then one of the older brothers was in time-out. I learned that being a pediatrician is so much more than being a doctor for smaller humans — it’s also being a teacher, communicator, babysitter, and so much more.
Another case that stood out today was a two-month-old girl who had come in for both a checkup and ear piercing. Dr. Villareal told me that he pierced ears for children from two to six months old and age seven and older; I thought it was interesting that those middle years were actually the hardest to get the kid to sit still. Of course, the two-month-old was far from easy, either. She began squirming and crying even when the doctor drew dots on her ears with just a normal pen (to ensure the right placement of the piercings). I couldn’t even imagine clicking the piercing gun, inserting the earrings for life, into such a wriggling child. I probably would’ve missed her ear entirely, but Dr. Villareal skillfully and efficiently deposited the studs — just another part of his job.
I also got some experience with Dr. Villareal’s nurse, JJ. Whenever he had an annual checkup for a teenager, I was free since we agreed that it would be awkward for me to watch one of my peers (sick visits were different), so I took the opportunity to shadow JJ instead. Her job was to call the patient in from the lobby/waiting area, do a quick height/weight/blood pressure/hearing test, ask about any questions or concerns, and let the patient know the doctor would be with them shortly. She also gave the shots after the doctor left. I was able to watch her give three shots to a four-year-old girl, who was definitely one of the better cases. The shots were quick, and she was brave; she didn’t cry a single tear. I’m excited to see what the rest of my experience holds!
