A patient came in yesterday with an unrelenting dry cough. It has been keeping her up at night for the last few weeks. During my interview with her, she was coughing non-stop.
I asked her what helps her cough. "Nothing," she reported.

She had been referred for an X-ray by our supervising physician. The radiologist diagnosed her with atypical pneumonia. However, I think he was wrong.

Listening to her lungs revealed no fluid, cracks or other sounds.

The supervisor prescribed her 1000 mg of Vitamin C derived from rose hips along with Bactrim antibiotic.

As a student clinician, I don't argue much with my supervising physicians.

However, I am glad I was not there the week before when he prescribed her antibiotics and vitamin C. I would have argued. I know he was CYA [cover your ass] by prescribing antibiotics - but with no lab test to determine if it was viral or bacterial, I find that not good medicine. She did not have a fever either - which tells me it is more likely viral...

A patient came in yesterday with an unrelenting dry cough. It has been keeping her up at night for the last few weeks. During my interview with her, she was coughing non-stop.
I asked her what helps her cough. "Nothing," she reported.

She had been referred for an X-ray by our supervising physician. The radiologist diagnosed her with atypical pneumonia. However, I think he was wrong.

Listening to her lungs revealed no fluid, cracks or other sounds.

The supervisor prescribed her 1000 mg of Vitamin C derived from rose hips along with Bactrim antibiotic.

As a student clinician, I don't argue much with my supervising physicians.

However, I am glad I was not there the week before when he prescribed her antibiotics and vitamin C. I would have argued. I know he was CYA [cover your ass] by prescribing antibiotics - but with no lab test to determine if it was viral or bacterial, I find that not good medicine. She did not have a fever either - which tells me it is more likely viral...