Welcome to the Dotter - Monday August 2nd

Learned yesterday’s lesson and started what I think must be my favourite ever daily commute on the Portland Aerial Tram (cable car). The “sky tram” is initially very impressive but any mention of it is greeted with scorn by OHSU staff. A favourite local white elephant it cost $57 million to build after initial estimates of $15 million and 85% of the bill was footed by OHSU.

The Portland Aerial Tram

My fellow passengers were all like minor characters from Grey’s anatomy, commuting to work in their fitted scrubs and flirting over their morning lattes. The tram passes over a large supporting tower halfway up the hill. The attendant has to warn the passengers that the tram may swing a little and this is the cue for all the nurses to grab the arm of an attractive man. All very entertaining.

The day at the Dotter institute starts at 07:30 with the morning conference lead by Dr Fred Keller and Dr John Kaufmann. The two fellows (who have to “pre-round” all the patients at 6am) present the cases for the day while Drs Keller and Kaufman hold court and skewer the poor fellows with pertinent questions.

John Kaufman (left) and Fred Keller (right)

Keller and Kaufman are a brilliantly contrasting double act. Keller is short, still, sardonic and probably never says anything that doesn’t need to be said. John Kaufman is tall, lanky and nervously energetic in a Woody Allen sort of a way.

After the conference I spent most of the day watching a series of IR cases with the opportunity to discuss the cases with the staff doctors (equivalent to consultants I think) and fellows. I had expected the cases to be complex, the equipment to be cutting edge and the department to function very efficiently and I wasn’t disappointed in any respect but more than anything else I was struck by just how similar the whole setup is to the NHS and I felt a little pang of pride for the little old nash. It says something that our cash strapped health service can provide something (very nearly) equivalent to the most famous IR centre in the world, which clearly has enough dosh to make Solomon blush.