I love being a pediatrician. I get to practice medicine while spending the day with adorable, silly children. I help them feel better, watch them grow up and guide their parents through each stage of development. However, over the years I have given that all up in order to go into the mountains and volunteer as a camp doctor. Why, you may ask, would anyone choose to work during vacation time? Partly I did it for my children. I watched them make friends, conquer the ropes course, and dance on their chairs during mealtime. They gained independence and grew up just a little bit more each summer. The other reason that I did it is because it reminds me of how much I loved camp when I was growing up. Besides actually working, I get to go on hikes, enjoy the mountain air and catch up on my reading.
My main job though is to be the doctor. But let’s face it; camp medicine is not like real medicine. When working at camp I go to work each day wearing shorts and a t-shirt. I have even taken care of campers while wearing a bathing suit and once while in my pajamas! Sometimes, my dog Luna comes with me to be my sidekick, helping homesick kids feel better in between chasing squirrels and lizards. During sick call, the majority of complaints that I hear are things normally fielded by mom and dad; tummy aches, sore throats and stuffy noses. Our hottest commodity from the med room is definitely cough drops. I also take out splinters, wrap sprained ankles and ice injuries. Sometimes I actually diagnose and treat strep throat, ear infections and sinus infections. The health center is also a place for exhausted and dehydrated campers to rest and get some Gatorade before rejoining their friends. We even keep kids overnight that need to be isolated due to a contagious illness. Of course, it’s also a place to come and sit, get out of the heat, and gossip a little.
Sometimes the campers are scared or homesick. The camp doctors and nurses are great resources for helping these campers through this rough patch. A lot of times we observe these campers having a great time and making lots of friends. It’s important to talk to your camper before they leave about any concerns they may have. A trip to the pediatrician for a pre-camp check up, immunizations and medication check is also a good time to talk about any anxiety concerns.
The camp health staff is also responsible for ordering appropriate medications to stock, reviewing camper medications and making sure campers get the medications they arrived with. This also includes a review of any allergies so that the counselors can be informed and the camp can be prepared.
By the end of the week, all of the campers become my own kids. I remind them to wear sunscreen and drink lots of water. I eat meals with them, watch them at their activities and fix what ails them.
