Truly, for physicians patients are the best teachers and for me I’ve experienced that last Friday in our Patient Partner workshop on Rheumatoid Arthritis.

It was not the first time for me to experience this patient partner workshop in Medicine II – Module 4 (Infectious Diseases – Rheumatology). We had this kind of workshop before in patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, but this was the first time that I really had a connection with our patient partners. They may have not have noticed it but for me, it really opened my eyes not only to the reality of the diseases that we are studying, but gave me a new perspective as a future physician.

This program has been initiated by Pfizer and it has been a widespread phenomenon ever since, not only helping patients to be aware of their disease but for them to be a source of information, wisdom and inspiration not only to those who have RA but also those who are in the medical profession that everyday encounter patients who have RA. And it inspired me to create a separate reflection on our patient partner “Eloisa”.

Eloisa was among the youngest of the patient partners that were present during the workshop, and just by observing them, it is evident, that she among one of the patients that needed assisted device just for ambulation. Yet you could not see any expression of sadness nor depression on her face, rather pride and determination.

She was only 20 years old when she had experienced signs and symptoms of RA which manifested as pain and stiffness of the joint. She was diagnosed to have to RA and was prescribed with medication for it. Unfortunately, she wasn’t able to follow up with her physician and decided to self medicate with steroids for 5 years for the pain that she experienced. Eventually, chronic use of high dose of steroids plus the progression of RA resulted to side effects of the medication and different complications of the disease respectively.

She already had avascular necrosis of the hip when she opted to consult in our institution and was advised to undergo Total hip replacement.The surgery had improved her condition, but it the disease had already progressed in having debilitating effects for her. Thankfully, she has been well educated now of her disease and is now taking the right kind of medications for her.

Not only that she is coping with her disease but also had achievements such as her cross stitch masterpieces which are truly magnificent. She also manage to become a patient partner for RA workshops which are truly helpful for medical students and physicians.

I myself had experience of a debilitating disease (Epilepsy) in my younger years, and in my experience, it has been hard coping with it especially when you are restricted to do things of daily living or when limitations are set for you. In those years, the disease not only offers physical limitations but also psychological burden. And all those things that I had experienced may not be even half the physical and psychological burden that these patients have experienced from RA. But despite all these struggles, they still manage to go on living, learning, and overcoming their disease as if nothing is holding them back.

During those years that I have been suffering from epilepsy, I have been ashamed of the disease that I had, and as much as possible avoid talking about it because it only reminds me of my limitations. But Eloisa, had no even signs of shame in terms of sharing her limitations/disabilities that RA has done to her. She even uses those limitations, to show us the difference between RA patients and a normal individual. And it amazes me her knowledge about RA, physical examination of musculoskeletal system, management of which which just shows that she is indeed wants learn about RA. And though she is suffering from boutonniere deformity brought about by RA, she has managed to make her deformity to her advantage by making cross stitch masterpieces.

As I was assisting her and walking her back to the hospital, she was sharing some of her stories and experiences and how she managed to have a positive outlook about her disease, it just struck me that this is a person that refused to let her disease put her down. She is right now participating on a RCT of a new drug of RA, and according to her it has better effects than Methotrexate, so I hope that the new drug will give a ray of hope for the quality of life of RA patients.

Even though RA is a debilitating disease and might have numerous complications that could worsen the quality of life of the patients who acquire it, it is still the patient who dictates how their lives go on having this disease. And as we all have seen, heard and experienced, RA patients such as Eloisa can overcome this disease and turn it to a positive outlook that not only improves their quality of life but offers inspiration to other people such as myself as well.

I hope that someday, I could return the favor to her in my own way for the inspiration she has offered me. Overall, I think that these “Patient-partner” workshops are vital to the education of medical students in Rheumatology. Seeing patients who are experiencing the disease and sharing their stories, really gives the student a perspective of what the disease is and how to approach them especially in clinical setting. I sure do hope that we I will be involved in more patient partner workshops in the future because I have learned much and had gained more inspiration in my undertaking to become a Thomasian physician.

The patient-partners workshops in RA and SLE are part of the curriculum in Medicine II – Module 4 (Infectious Diseases and Rheumatology), developed by the UST Section of Rheumatology, Clinical Imunology & Osteoporosis

Eloisa with one of her cross-stitch masterpieces

John Mark Carabeo is a third year medical student at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Faculty of Medicine and Surgery.