I was valedictorian in medical school. I’m not showing off, but that’s important to know. I always had a fascination with rual medicine. I wanted to be an old time doctor, proficient in medicine, but also capable of performing surgery, delivering a child, or whatever the day and particular patient called for. An ability to treat anything that walked in the door was a burning desire of mine. This led to my sponge like absorption of every classic research article, countless hours of practice suturing on everything from pig flesh to actual human cadavers, and by the time I graduated, a real grasp on the theoretical. ”Textbook“ answers and article reference were cake to me. The only thing attending physicians had over me was experience. Like any stereotypical book nerd I did have a propensity towards the occasional social flub. This was never more exaggerated than when in the presence of an authentically attractive female.
All this background takes me to the most memorable point in time of residency. My first year out of Med school in a family medicine clinic, located in rural Idaho. The town my clinic was located in belonged to a chemical research facility and solidly mid sized tech firm. This gave the small town a unique wealth and well educated Populous twist. My attending physician was a woman named Sarah Baker. She was in her late 30s, beautiful, blonde, no need for makeup type. My academic savvy and hard work ethic made her role as traditional on the job educator and impart-or of medical knowledge quite challenging and in reality negligible. This allowed us the circumstance of a more friendly relationship. Her role of mentor took on a more nuanced approach by teaching me the social aspects of patient interactions as opposed to the usual pimping of antibiotic choices, blood pressure cocktails, and dodging of opioid over prescribing.
Then came the day Tori Vaughn stepped in to clinic. She was destined for a fashion runway, nineteen, Gorgeous, and here for her first physical since age eight. Dr. Baker asked me to join her in her office to discuss Ms. Vaughn’s exam the following day. Dr. Baker knew of my lingering awkwardness around attractive women and was determined to make Ms. Vaughn’s exam an educational experience during my month rotation with her.
To be continued…