End of Week 3

This week was a rotation through Cornea, but it's been really light. I think the total amount of time observing can be condensed to about one full day's worth. This is because the majority of the doctors have been away starting Tuesday for a national ophthalmological convention thingy.

So here are some pictures for your enjoyment until I can put up a proper update:

This is the front of the new wing and it's linked to the old wing through a skybridge of sorts. There's also a separate wing that houses the ER, cafeteria, laundry room, and other administrative offices. There is also a second location within 5 minutes walking distance that is the Optometry building.

If you've ever hated waiting in a doctors's office, be glad you are not one of these people:

Left: taken before 8am as people line up to get a number to be seen.

Right: another waiting area, in the new wing. I'm not sure what they are waiting for though. On the floors with the testing and consulting areas, there are more scenes similar to the picture on the left.

In Chinese there is a phrase "People mountain, people sea" which is what I would use exactly to describe the waiting areas of the hospital. Most of the time people are very orderly and I must say, extremely patient. Once in a while arguments break out (and these Shanghai folk are known for verbal arguments) and it can get reallllllly chaotic. But these Chinese docs have concentration like it ain't no thang. And there's also a loudmouthed women stationed outside the exam rooms to make sure people are seen in an orderly fashion. They have no qualms about yelling at unruly patients or shoving them out of the exam room if it gets too crowded. There is almost always at least one other patient (and often with one family member in tow) in the room along with the patient being currently examined. There is no privacy in the exam room. Good thing we are just looking at eyeballs!