For those of you reading this, an intern is the most junior form of doctor to be found in a hospital.
In general, without sounding too cynical, their job is more likened to that of a glorified secretary - albeit, one with an amazing ability to multi-task - but a secretary none the less. On the wards, our job is to trot behind the boss (read consultant - senior doctor in charge of the unit), listening in as he extols his opinions on the management of the patients with the senior registrar (read senior doctor in training), trying to catch his every word so that we can transcribe it into the patients' notes and have a PLAN. Now, this PLAN which we have written ever so carefully in the patients' notes doubles also as a list of jobs for us to follow up on once the higher ups have disappeared to wherever they go after ward rounds (a mystery I have yet to discover). Do I sound patronising? I apologise, but it is the truth.
Now, personally, I have yet to experience a ward job other than as a student. I am sure that when the time comes, I will have a lot more to say on the subject - and hopefully by this time, will have ceased to be cynical about it. So, if not on the wards, what exactly have I been doing for the last two months you ask? I have had the pleasure of spending two glorious months in A&E - Accident and Emergency, otherwise known as Casualty or the Emergency Department. Now, why have I enjoyed my time so much here? I actually get to practice medicine. I see patients of my own, develop a management plan of my own, and implement it. Of course, I have to check what I'm doing with one of the senior doctors, but all the same, they are my patients, I am caring for them, and I love it.
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Once my consultant left the ward round because he had a swimming lesson hehe.
ReplyDeleteI remember once as a student the ward round going till 5pm - we all had to break together for lunch at 12 to continue discussing the patients =)
ReplyDeleteyour consultant goes back to his/her private practice ( which pays the bills, not the public hospital remuneration which is really chicken feed) and does all the same stuff but without the team of residents to fill in for him/her. ie: he/she will do the plan, talk to the patients ( some of whom he/ she has been monitoring for years)and their relatives, order the tests check the results, implement the plan, talk to other consultants, organise admissions or rehab, dictate letters to other practitioners.....check dictated letters.....then if there is any more time before bedtime he/s eh will visit the remaining dozen or so inpatients in the two or three other hospitals......( henry hasn't done a swimming lesson/golf game/cappucino....ever!!!)
ReplyDeletei am also technically challenged, daina has gotten into my computer and i can't get this bit to sign out her chunky lover and put in our own ID ( i can do it with my own blog but am having trouble with yours, chris)
ReplyDeleterita v