On 5/31, I shadowed Dr. Schweitzer. He works at a Duke Orthopedic office and does clinic and surgery. I saw him on a clinic day, so I got to see various patients. The patients that came in were all adults and some of them were seeking post-surgery care. The most common case we saw was people with bunions. I learned that bunions are genetic, but they can be obtained. There were patients getting a consultation because their bunions were becoming unmanageable, so surgery was scheduled. There were other post-op patients recovering from bunion surgery and making sure everything was healing well. Dr. Schweitzer showed me various MRIs of bunions, and here is an example.
The MRI on the left is of a normal-looking foot. The bones are straight and the big toe isn’t overlapping with the neighboring toes. The MRI on the right is of a foot with a bunion. Bunions cause pain when walking and standing, trouble with proper fitting shoes, and swelling. Bunions decrease quality of life, so many people need surgery to fix them. It is a long process because bunions usually occur in both feet.
I also met patients who had arthritis in their joints and needed ankle replacements. I learned about this procedure and realized how common it is, especially in older adults.
Many patients don’t know about the disease or illness they are facing, so most doctor’s offices have pamphlets so that patients can educate themselves. They were also very helpful for me so I could learn more as well!