Sweet

Today one of the doctors I work for and I closed up the clinic at the end of the day. As we were taking the elevator down, she said, "You're doing really well here! You're always so poised and so sweet." I gave her my last smile of the day.


This was my third week/sixth day of working. The first few days, I felt like I was messing everything up. I didn't know where forms were placed. I didn't know how to handle situations. Patients were mad at me, doctors were mad at me, the other medical assistants were mad at me. Okay...they probably weren't, but in a high stress, high volume group practice, snappy answers just don't make for happy feelings. People in customer service all probably have extremely thick skin.


I've learned to take responsibility for everything--even mishaps that occurred from before I started working here. People don't like hearing excuses. They only like hearing solutions. So I make sure to apologize profusely. I make sure to ask if there's anything I can do. I make sure to sound cheerful even if I've got three other calls on the line, patients who need to be brought to testing rooms, patients who need appointments scheduled, prescriptions that need to be filled, faxes that need to be sent. I seriously cannot wait to put the phone on night mode to stop those flashing red lights.  



By the time I make it to the BART station, I feel like I can breathe and quiet myself. Even though it's a mere 15 minute BART ride to downtown San Francisco, I fall asleep on the way home every time.