First Impressions

I started my new job a week ago, and I have some impressions and observations.

Overall, I feel fairly neutral about my job. I don't dislike it, but I don't love it either. I don't have to think very much during the day, which is why I think I feel a bit unfulfilled by it. I am learning, but I'm learning by repetition to complete tasks properly. I spend most of the day sitting at a desk either on the phone, checking patients in, or sorting documents into their proper places. I am still very much learning how to answer questions and where to sort things.

This means that the highlights of my days are when I do get to think. My favorite thing to do so far? Call patients with lab results. I can only call after a practitioner has looked at the results and made a note telling me what the results mean, but I make a point of understanding the information I'm telling a patient and how it relates to them. I usually look over the lab, take quick looks at Wikipedia and the patient's chart, and then look at the lab again. This way I'm able to anticipate questions and have answers ready. By doing this, I'm learning how to interpret lab results on my own -- although in this job I won't be able to do that officially.

Some observations about my job...
- Drug reps provide lunch almost every day. I'm not sure free catered lunch is worth having non-employees there at lunchtime though. They have to do their spiel, obviously, and while I do pay attention to what they say and what the doctor/NP/PA asks them, having them there keeps me from getting to know my colleagues. I am able to talk to the other receptionist, the HR/accounting guy, and the medical assistants during the day some, but I would really like to be able to have conversations at lunchtime.

- Everybody in the office has a few patients they like and don't like, and it really shows. It makes sense, I guess, as the patient and doctor's office have a long-standing relationship and so people know if the patient is friendly, punctual, reliable, follows medical advice, etc. I think most patients don't stand out to the people who work in the clinic, but there are a few that are either just really nice or really, really difficult to deal with. The nice ones are so much more likely to receive service that goes above and beyond what's expected. The rude ones get the same medical treatment as everyone else, I assume, but the minimal level of appropriate customer service.

- So many people don't seem to know what a PA (Physician Assistant) is! There are two who work at the office. There's also a Nurse Practitioner. Sometimes I talk to patients on the phone who get really indignant about coming in to see a PA, and I find it really annoying even though I know they just don't know what the profession is. The practical clinical differences between the MD, the NP, and the PAs are negligible. I think people don't realize that PAs are professional medical practitioners.