It's Not All Bad

Let's face it, every job comes with its perks. Teachers get summers off with their kids, athletes are paid millions to play a game that they love, and the President of the United States lives in a mansion and is flown around on a private plane with more rooms than my house. While the medical word comes with a lot of challenges (not saying other professions don't), it also comes with a few bonuses. Here are a few that I have experienced so far: 

• Getting in to see a doctor is easy. Unless you are needing a specialist that is outside your/your spouses field (and even then sometimes), you really don't have to wait weeks or months to get in with a doc. If I have a concern all it takes is a call to the clinic and I'm given an appointment immediately. Technically I could just show up and they would make sure I was seen, but that goes beyond what I'm comfortable with. 

• When you do go in to see a doctor you don't have to wait. Granted, this hasn't always been the case. Even at the clinic Dr. Barton is practicing in I have waited an hour+ two different times. HOWEVER, most of the time, even when it is crazy packed in the lobby, it takes me 30 minutes or less from the time I walk in the doors to the time I'm walking out. It would be super easy for the doctors to have the mentality of "oh, it's Dr. B's wife? She'll understand if I'm running behind and can't get to her right away," and honestly they wouldn't be wrong. It's a lot harder to be annoyed at the time it takes when you know just how hard they are working. But they generally don't do that, and it's really nice. 

• Sometimes you don't even have to "see" a doctor. A few weeks ago Princess came down with a bad case of strep. I took her in to the clinic and we were taken care of immediately. A few days later Monkey caught the strep, but it was a Saturday and the clinic was closed. Obviously Dr. B was able to examin her, but he can't legally write her a prescription, so we called one of the other residents who called one in for us. We've also had residents make house calls for us when I needed one of the girls to be checked out, the clinic wasn't an option (or just super inconvenient at that time), and Dr. Barton was unavailable to help me out. Seriously, this has been such a blessing at the hardest and most needed times. 

• People respect you more even though you aren't the one with the medical degree. Is it kind of ridiculous that people listen to and agree with what I say more now that I am a doctors wife? Yeah, it kind of is. I mean, it's nice that I feel more heard than ever before, but it's not like I didn't have many of these same thoughts and feelings before. Regardless, I can't deny that it is also kind of nice to hold that extra respect. I just hope that I am truly earning it and can live up to the expectations. 

• You are treated to super nice meals on occasion. Dr. Barton is currently attending a conference for the State Medical Board. Basically a bunch of doctor delegates in varying specialties from around the state convene with legislatures to create and change medical law and practice throughout the state. To be honest it's a little over my head, but it's pretty awesome that Dr. Barton was chosen to be the representative for our residency. Anywho.... we were able to come with him as a family and not only is our travel paid for, but various activities while he is in meetings, amazing dinners every night (including a super fancy and expensive presidential dinner that allows me to get all dressed up), a generous allowance for our other meals, and free t-shirts for the whole family to boot. Tonight my dinner plate was three times what I would normally be okay paying for a meal out AND I ordered dessert, all paid for by the Medical Association (and this was the Family Night dinner, the least fancy of the three nights). 

• Sometimes you also to have fun experiences paid for. At this conference we were also invited to attend the local Discovery Museum as a family. Again, this was completely paid for by the Medical Association. For our little family of four this activity normally would have cost us $50, meaning normally we wouldn't go. However, it turned out to be something that our kids absolutely loved even though it's geared towards older children (think 5-12, not 2 and 3). They were so sad that it was time to go after almost two hours of being there. 

At this point in our medical training there are undeniably more hardships than benefits, but that certainly doesn't mean that they aren't there. So for now I am going to enjoy these advantages guilt-free. And maybe even order a second dessert. 

- Clara B.