07/04/2021
After 4 months in A&E, I've finally finished my rotation in emergency medicine! 🚨
What a crazy time it's been. In the worst of circumstances, this has been my best job as a doctor so far.
A&E is a department unlike any other. It's fast paced with high stakes. Every day I was seeing new conditions, learning to do new procedures, meeting people from a myriad of backgrounds. What was amazing was how much we got to see, because absolutely anything and everything could come through the door. In a single day, you could go from diagnosing twisted bowel, to treating a heart attack, to managing road traffic accident casualties. There's a real satisfaction in making the correct diagnosis, starting the right treatment, and getting them into the hands of the right specialty. I loved being able to make a personal and tangible difference in their care.
As a junior doctor, you're the first (and often only) clinician your patient sees when they walk through the hospital doors. To be there for someone at their weakest - that's a big responsibility, but a privilege I'll never take for granted.
Yet despite all the upsides, this was one of the most mentally challenging periods of my life. Covid-19 was an incredibly difficult time in the hospital. We saw death, sickness, and at times, very little hope. I was told that Covid was a hoax; I wish they could've seen what was really going on. Years from now, I have no doubt I'll remember those mask-strapped faces, hunched forwards gasping for life's breaths. I left many a shift feeling dejected and heartbroken, knowing I'd have to come in the next day and do it all again.
Nonetheless, this was a really important period for me - medically and personally. I'm grateful for my experiences because I know they will help me become a better doctor. I've tried to embrace the maturity forced upon me from my difficult experiences. At the very least, I'm more confident in my ability to manage unwell patients. I'm certainly better equipped at dealing with obnoxiously drunk, drugged, psychotic people screaming down my neck. Come at me, life. ✌️
Looking forwards, I'm excited for the next steps in my career. Next stop: internal medicine 🙌
