31 Comments
User's avatar
Tom DeNucci's avatar

Great story!

During my first bedside procedure as an attending physician, I was holding a part of a rigid sigmoidoscope, and asked “Where do I put this?” (Meaning on the cart? In a tray? Etc…)

Our head nurse couldn’t see what I was speaking about, and thought I meant where do I put the sigmoidoscope! She teased me about that for years.

Always be careful what is said and how it’s heard! 😊

Ed Iannuccilli's avatar

HaHa, love it. Right, Tom, we never forget those moments

Marianne Barba's avatar

Dr. I,

That was a great story. It took me back to my OR days as a student at RIH. Love your stories. Marianne

Ed Iannuccilli's avatar

Familiar stories, Marianne. I'm pleased I rekindled your memories.

Natalie L. McKenna's avatar

Another great learning point not to be forgotten!

Ed Iannuccilli's avatar

Oh yes, Natalie. Careful on your motorcycle today.

patti.'s avatar

That was truly amazing.And also, very believable, my first day as a student nurse in the or I did something, i'm not sure what now, but he did not like it.So the doctor threw an instrument across the room and yelled at me.I proceeded to walk out and told the nun I was never coming back

Ed Iannuccilli's avatar

Good that you walked out, Patti. That physician behavior is inexcusable

Jeffrey Kocher MD's avatar

My last name is Kocher, which is also of course the name of a surgical instrument. I didn’t know that as a medical student on my first clinical rotation, which was Surgery. First day in the OR holding a retractor and the surgeon says, “Kocher”, to which I replied, “Yes”, and he glanced at me. A few minutes later the same exchange, then again. I was certain I was doing something wrong that was so obvious that the surgeon didn’t have to even name it, and decided in that moment that whatever was going on in the OR was to weird for me…so onto Internal Medicine and ID.

Ed Iannuccilli's avatar

Jeff, thank you. Your story is hysterical, and I can see, and feel, with you. Right; surgery was out for me also.

wellness.com's avatar

Only two ways the medical student can cut a knot - too short, or too long ...

Ed Iannuccilli's avatar

HaHa, mine were always too long. Thus, I never even considered being a surgeon!

wellness.com's avatar

I did, but the brutal training was a turnoff (early nineties). Urology appealed, partly because of an excellent rotation. But ... anyway.

Mike Hirtle's avatar

Loved this story. My favorite so far. Laughed out loud.

Ed Iannuccilli's avatar

Thanks, Mike. I'm pleased to give you a chuckle these days.

Melina J Balboni's avatar

What a great and real story Ed! I couldn’t wait to see how it ended. I was certainly impressed with the ooops lesson, but to be honest, I may have been more impressed that you nailed the answer on the prolapsed rectum!!!

Bravo:)

Ed Iannuccilli's avatar

HaHa, thanks, Melina.

Peter Voccio JR.'s avatar

Ed, you observed and were called on to assist the Doctor that would teach and critique you and the class. I can understand why Oops would not be in the medical vocabulary. The patient wouldn't want to hear Oops.

Ed Iannuccilli's avatar

Right, Peter, a good lesson for me. Not to blurt words, but to remain calm, to handle difficult medical situations always bound to happen. That was the leason.

Peter Voccio JR.'s avatar

I'm sure that you carried throughout your medical career.

Peter Voccio JR.'s avatar

I'M sure you did!

Ned O’Donnell's avatar

Ed,

Great story. I,too, have had mentors I never wanted to fail. Inevitably, it happens and my confidence would be sucked away into that black hole of self-doubt. The strong hand that kept me from succumbing was the words of the mentor who understood and said the right thing at the right moment.

Ned

Ed Iannuccilli's avatar

Indeed. Something to learn. Ned. Always forward, learn from mistakes and teach.

Dad's avatar

Sounds like motivation to go into GI, Ed. 😊

Ed Iannuccilli's avatar

It wasn't immediate. But i 'eliminated' Surgery as a discipline.

Barbara at Projectkin's avatar

😳 New respect. “Macbeth” in the operating room.

Ed Iannuccilli's avatar

HaHa. Love it. I rarely frequented the OR after my oops

Ed Iannuccilli's avatar

Yes, thanks, Muriel. I never forgot it . . . obviously

Muriel Jobbers's avatar

That was quite the learning experience. Great story.

Best, Muriel