A medical student commented yesterday that it sounded like my work was that of a social worker. If social workers treat people (who use drugs) with dignity, compassion, respect, autonomy, get people what they need to achieve health, well-being + thrive, then yes, that is my work
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As I practice medicine more, I realize that it is so much more than prescribing meds, which are necessary but not sufficient to practicing "good" medicine. I strive to walk with and collaborate with patients on a path of health, healing and liberation🤝
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@DrKimSue
A social worker was the only person in the room that didn’t treat me like a monster after I gave birth to my daughter while taking buprenorphine.
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@DrKimSue
Your work and practice sound amazing and are goals to aspire to! (Somewhat biased as a former social worker and now med student) but thank you for the work you do and the example you set!
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@DrKimSue
yes social worker here ❤️ I can attest to our values to treat each person with dignity, kindness and respect
@nasw
@CSocialWorkEd
@SSWRorg
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@DrKimSue
@Raaginizzle
Compassionate care has many similarities to social work in that we focus on the needs of the individual in front of us.
#FMRevolution
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@DrKimSue
I hope the med student meant it as a compliment. Recently a doctor joked about how residents are like social workers doing scut work/work that doesn’t matter and it was so offensive and off base. Glad you see the value in our work!
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@DrKimSue
@NoodlePremed
We have completely different training and without a social work degree, it's not social work, it's health care with what sounds like ethics. They're complementary but not interchangeable roles.
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@DrKimSue
The only detractors on my ED evals were that I thought too much like a social worker. Went straight to public health after that.
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@DrKimSue
They said “Don’t social work your way through Med school, Marcus” and I listened…until I didn’t.
When I spoke about Hidden Curriculum, they asked “Why are you so angry at Medicine?” because they didn’t appreciate critical perspectives in pedagogy.
How wrong they were.
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@DrKimSue
I loved working with med students as a behavioral health consultant because they learned social workers do more than discharge planning, resource finding, and calling CPS. I get why they think that (many people do!). 1/n
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@DrKimSue
Once I attended an addiction psychiatry workshop by Dr Alena Balasanova and Dr Ellen Edens, they said ‘Of all the psychiatric patients, those with addiction issues face stigma issues the most’. Psychiatrists who are serving this patient population deserve special appreciation!
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@DrKimSue
Should maybe explain to that student how pervasive pain/addiction is in medicine, and that they should be grateful for colleagues like you. We need help when we encounter patients in OB, after surgery, daily life, with mental health, pediatrics. This student’s view is limiting
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