Blog 14: Independent Comp. 1

Content:

LITERAL
(a) Statement saying: “I,Cynthia Garcia, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 30 hours of work.”
(b) Odette Van Der Ed
(626) 851-6063
 *specify MOHS Night
(c) Independent Component 1 Log
(d) During MOHS night, I would observe the doctors and the medical assistants perform the Mohs techinque for skin cancer. For the Mohs technique, the doctor would surgically extract the skin cancer from where the tumor is located, and the tumor is then taken to the pathologist so he/she could examine it. After the pathologist studies the cancerous cells, the doctor either has to take out more, or he/she can sew the skin back in place. Depending on how much the doctor has to take out, and where the tumor is located, the doctor may have to do reconstructive surgery. Not only would I observe, but I would also "assist" them by getting the items they needed such sutures, gauzes  and tape! I also got the opportunity to take a picture of the patient before the procedure.
INTERPRETIVE

The hours that I have done demonstrates 30 hours of work because although it seems like a quick procedure, it is not! It ultimately depends on the tumor location, size, and whether the tumor has progressed to other tissues in the face. During the procedure, I saw the doctor remove the tumor, which takes about 20-30 minutes. Then, the pathologist examines it, which takes about 30 minutes. However, since 2 doctors perform the Mohs procedure on 2-3 patients, it's going to take more time to have the pathologist examine the cells. Once the cells have been examined and the results come back positive, the doctor is ready to end the procedure  If the results have come back negative, the doctor still has to extract more cells,and the process is repeated until there is no more cancer. For example, on my first night of Mohs, I saw the doctor extract basal cell carcinoma from the right tip of the ear of a patient, however since the cancer had spread, the M.D had to cut even more of the ear. Eventually, once the doctor was done, there was a gap in the patient's ear. Once the results came back positive, the doctor was able to sew back the tumor site. Since the patient did not have a normal appearance of the ear, the doctor, having a done a fellowship on plastic surgery, had to do reconstructive surgery on the ear. The end result was amazing! Although there was a slight difference in the ear size, the ear looked totally normal and had a great appearance  Due to confidentiality reasons, I could not take pictures of the actual procedure, but I did take pictures of the handouts that are given to the patients explaining Mohs, and the Head and Neck Surgery department logo, where they do Mohs Night.
APPLIED
 This component helped me understand the foundation of my essential question because it provided information towards the first answer of my essential question. Being that skin cancer is classified under head and neck cancer, it gave me first hand knowledge about the Mohs procedure and what the doctors do to cure the patient of the tumor. From this experience I have learned about the 2 main types of skin cancer, basal and squamous cell carcinoma, and how the doctor helps the patient through the procedure. Through out the procedure, the doctor asks the patient if he/she is feeling alright, and makes easy conversation with the patient to lessen the nerves and stress. Although the Mohs procedure is not a major one, it helped me understand how beneficial surgery is, and the effectiveness of the treatment. Since the cancerous cells are being examined during the procedure and not after, the doctor doesn't have to estimate where to take out more cancer. I also got to view Mohs from the pathologist perspective because she helped me understand what they are looking for in the slide, and from what region the doctor's can cut from. For example, the pathologist told me that they based the drawing the doctor drew as a clock. The pathologist would then write "between 3:00 and 6:00pm", meaning that the doctor had to extract more cells based on the clock and the drawing that he/she did. This illustrated the importance of accuracy and observation so the patient could have the best outcome from the surgery.

Blog 13: Rough Draft of 30 Minute Presentation

30 Min. Presentation Lesson Plan

Blog 12: Third Interview Questions

1.What is the best way to treat head and neck cancer in adults?
2.What are the most common types of head and cancers?
3.How would the doctor go about diagnosing head and neck cancer?
4.What symptoms do patients experience when dealing with a head and neck cancer?
5.What are the  physical and mental effects patients experience when they have cancer?
6.What encompasses head and neck cancer?
7.What factors affect a patients prognosis?
8.What is the prognosis of a patient if they do not decide to have treatment?
9. How do other health problems or conditions affect the patient with head and neck cancer (ex. pregnant)?
10. How would the physician or physician assistant help the patient cope with the cancer?

Blog 11: Mentorship 10 Hours Check

Content:

1.   Where are you doing your mentorship?
I am currently doing my mentorship at Kaiser Permamente Baldwin Park, specifically at the Head and Neck Surgery department.
2.   Who is your contact?
My contact is Odette VanDerEb, clercial administrator at Head and Neck Surgery
3.   How many total hours have you done?
The total hours that I have done are 128.5.
4.   Summarize the 10 hours of service you did.
The 10 hours of service that I completed at the beginning of my mentorship were concentrated on concierge service, since at the time, I was not able to go into a specific department. During my concierge work, I guided patients to the departments that they needed to go, such as the Laboratory, Cardiology, or OB/GYN. Once I moved to the Head and Neck Surgery department,  I help the M.A's restock the exam rooms with supplies that are needed, make copies, and prepare surgery packets.