When I was a kid, my parents
would tell me that whenever someone asks what I want to be when I grow up, I
should answer that I want to become a doctor. I remember that I enjoyed playing
doctor with my cousins, trying to heal our stuffed toy patients with our toy
stethoscope and band aids. I also liked spending time in the clinic of my tita,
watching very closely as she does her work. In grade school, I remember that my
favorite subject was science and I was really good at it. I eventually realized
that becoming a doctor someday was really not a farfetched idea so started
doing things that will lead me to the path of medical school. I worked hard to
excel in school so that I will be able to get into a good college that will
prepare me for my life-long dream. Now that I have submitted applications, went
through interviews and received an acceptance letter from a school, I finally
feel that my dream is really within my reach. I want to be more informed and
learn about different things that can make me become a more effective doctor.
The article written Leder and
Krucoff in 2008 explores the idea of how touch can heal the illness of
patients. Illness in their definition pertains to the experiences of patients
brought about by the diseases that they have. Health does not only refer to the
good condition of the body but also to the well-being of the self,
psychologically and spiritually. Aspects such as social relationships and emotional expression are thought to be disrupted by illness. Therefore,
healing should not only be in terms of curing the disease alone. It should
also take into consideration the integration of the other aspects of the life
of the person in the healing process. In the article, they described touch as contact
of a body with another. Impact or force is needed for it to be sensed unlike other
sense modalities. It can be used as means to express one’s emotion and it is a
sign of intimacy. It is also reciprocal; when you touch another person, he or
she touches you back.
The authors criticize how medical
practitioners have resorted to using an objective touch, treating patients as
things to avoid inappropriate intimacy. Doctors and nurses also sometimes use
technological touch, using technological advances in medicine as substitutes
for meaningful interactions with their patients. It is prescribed that a
healing touch will be used for patients since it can help in building a
connection between the self and others. Touch can also act as a cure for the
psychological and spiritual sufferings that a patient may feel. It also serves
as an expression of compassion for the patient, making him or her feel that he
or she is still a human being who deserves to be treated right. This healing
touch may be expressed in simple diagnostic actions such as taking the pulse.
Evidence of the benefits of touch may be observed in the improvement of a
baby’s state when he or she is constantly in contact with a caregiver. Massages
can also help in the improvement of some patients’ arthritis.
For touch to be instrumental in
healing, it will be helpful for patients to have a hopeful disposition about
their state. They should actively participate in their treatments and be
receptive of other people’s touch. They should remain calm and relaxed during
interactions with medical practitioners.
After reading the article, I
understand further how I can become a better doctor by being a compassionate
one. I vow to remember my patients’ names so they would not feel insignificant.
I will also take time to talk to them about their symptoms to get a better
understanding of what they are going through. I will also see to it that I make
my patients feel that they can approach me if they have questions. Doing these
simple things may aid me in becoming a more effective healer, touching the
lives of others in the process.
Leder, D. & Krucoff, M.
(2008). The touch that heals: The uses and meaning of touch in the clinical
encounter. The Journal of Alternate and
Contemporary Medicine, 14, 321-327.
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