When it came to getting a patient's story, she was all ears, and let them do all the talking.
For most of shadowing, I only heard Dr. Nestor speak to verify or ensure she heard correctly, and she always repeated what was said by the patient. Though she did not take notes in the exam room, she would be able to remember the interview well enough to take down notes outside, before heading off to another patient. When she was deciding on how to go about treating a patient, she would always take into consideration the patient's feelings and opinions. Patient comfort was also at the top of her agenda. An example of this was when Dr. Nestor went on the hunt to get extra blankets and pillows for one particular patient, and even helped them adjust the TV station. Another example of her accommodating personality was when she had a patient who did not speak English. Even with the presence of an interpreter in the room, this did not stop Dr. Nestor from greeting the patient as any other. She made an effort to use the little bit of Spanish she knew, and made sure to keep her focus on the patient, instead of the interpreter. Dr. Nestor seemed to be the poster child for great doctors, but her residents differed in many ways.
The residents that I also got to shadow, seemed well versed in what they were doing, but lacked interpersonal skills. When it came to greeting patients they were sincere and genuine, but that seems to be where their kindness ended. They were both extremely dismissive of patient concerns, and gave off a sense of superiority. One resident even went as far as to insinuate that a patient was making up their story. I could only imagine how the patient felt, because I was even uncomfortable being in the room. There was no physical contact between the residents and patients, other than that required for exam purposes. The residents also did most of the talking, and I do not recall either of them collaborating with patients when it came decision-making.
