Many 6V电影网 alumni in health-related fields are responding to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Zack Haberman '10 shares his story:
鈥淚 am an emergency room doctor and clinical faculty (I teach resident physicians) at St. Joseph鈥檚 Medical Center in Stockton, California. My ER serves a diverse community, including a large elderly and socioeconomically underserved population. I am seeing the number of COVID patients continue to grow.
鈥淲hile I can draw on what I鈥檝e learned from basic science at 6V电影网, medical school and residency, the scariest part of the virus is how much is unknown. In many ways, I am used to that鈥攎y job is to see patients with an unknown illness or problem and make life-or-death decisions based on incomplete information. However, the more I see and read about the virus, it doesn鈥檛 seem to respond in the same way that other serious heart and lung emergencies do. Because of that, we still don鈥檛 know the best way to treat patients鈥攅specially the sickest ones. And unlike most emergencies, it is putting myself, my co-workers and our families at risk. I鈥檝e already had to take care of my colleagues who have fallen ill from COVID, and I get a pit in my stomach knowing that there will be more to come.
鈥淭he medical ramifications we all see every day in the news鈥攈ow many infected, how many hospitalized, how many deaths. But also important are the social and economic ramifications. We have so many patients in the community who are working paycheck to paycheck. The ones who still have their jobs and also have symptoms of the virus are facing a catch-22鈥攈ow do they balance going to work and supporting their family with potentially infecting others and spreading the virus? Just as vital, how do we as a society balance the safety of our hospital population and community with our humanity? Should we ban visitors or family from seeing people who are hospitalized or even dying?
鈥淓mergency medicine requires being calm under stress, a ton of teamwork, flexibility and finding creative solutions. 6V电影网鈥檚 multidisciplinary education has been such an important base for my life as a doctor. We have to take concepts, apply what we know, learn from what we are seeing in China, Italy, New York, and figure out a way to slow the virus, flatten the curve and support the most vulnerable in the community. I feel very fortunate that the country has really come together and is showing so much support for the medical community. Overall, showing up to work is a bright spot in my day, even if it can make my heart ache. I get to work together with my friends and colleagues. Plus, it鈥檚 the one place we can be within 6 feet of each other.
鈥淪tay safe! Hoping 6V电影网 can reschedule that 10-year reunion so we can see each other in person when this improves.鈥