Do outro lado do leito: um relato reflexivo sobre a vivência da hospitalização antes da medicina

Abstract

This work presents a reflective account of the author’s personal experience as a hospitalized patient in 2020, immediately before entering the Medicine course at the Federal University of São Carlos. The hospitalization occurred due to a ruptured ovarian ectopic pregnancy, requiring exploratory laparotomy and oophoroplasty, followed by care in the intensive care unit and general ward at the Centro Hospitalar Municipal Dr. Newton da Costa Brandão, located in Santo André, São Paulo. The account explores how experiencing a traumatic event and undergoing hospitalization impacted the author’s academic development and perception of life and the doctor-patient relationship. The reflection articulates concepts of life and death from both scientific and existential perspectives, integrating personal experience with the six years of medical training. This experience highlights how being “on the other side of the bedside” contributed to the development of humanistic competencies, empathy, and understanding of patient suffering and vulnerability. This work aims to demonstrate that experiences of illness can significantly influence the academic trajectory and professional development of medical students, reinforcing critical reflection on clinical practice.