This past weekend we had our South Dakota Academy of Family Physicians annual meeting in Deadwood. We had only a virtual option last year due to covid, but this year we had both live and virtual options. We all had to wear masks during the meeting and had tests available if anybody started having any symptoms. It was a very good meeting, and we learned a lot. Sarah had served as President for the last 2 years, having an extended year due to covid. She was receiving her plaque at the annual banquet. We had not gone anywhere for the last 5 months. It was time to get away. Whatever free time we managed to have, we spent outside hiking. As Family Physicians, we always have to keep learning. Lifelong learning. Four years of undergraduate work, 4 years of medical school, and 3 years of residency training for our specialty. Yes, Family Medicine is a specialty. All physicians have to have undergraduate training, and then the same training in medical school as all other doctors. Then things separated out in residency for what you type of physician you wanted to become. I always have a hard time when other provider groups advertise that they do Family Practice, and they are not Phyicians. We have a need for these other providers, but not when they falsely advertise. They can set up shop anywhere they want, and do “quick” services, regardless of the quality of care involved, or the level of training involved. I guess to me if they want to advertise family practice, or primary care, then go through the training that it takes to do it. No question, especially these last 2 years with the pandemic, we all needed help by other providers to see people acutely because it was impossible otherwise to see everybody who needed to be seen. But that is not primary care. Family Medicine encompasses care throughout the life cycle. Birth to grave, and all the health problems that can come up along the way. We have to know a lot of everything, but obviously we cannot know everything. That is when it comes time to refer to someone else. But we always have to keep learning.
The conference was 3 full days, early AM, to evening, learning the latest on medicine, and updates involved.
We take care of the “whole” person, mentally and physically. Just like for us, we had to have some breaks when we could just to get outside, and enjoy the mountains.
One evening on a break with the sun setting.
Early morning sunrise before the start of the conferences.
We stayed an extra afternoon after the conference to go hiking in the mountains with our daughter Megan. We needed to unwind and clear our heads after the conference ended. We learned a lot! We always have to keep reading, figuring out plans of care for our patients. We are always trying to figure out what we can do to help take care of our patients as best we can. It has been a huge challenge during this pandemic. All of the other health issues still come up, but covid keeps taking big portions of the day. Someday this pandemic will be over. The stress of this is having an effect on everybody, patients, and all health care providers. We are all doing what we can. Some days never end. But we show up the next day ready to take on more challenges. The life of Family Physicians. Always striving to take care of others. To all of you physicians out there, remember to take care of yourself as well. Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day of New Streak: #1038
