How did I get here? (You’re probably wondering how I got here uh? – Part 2)

Here I am, sitting in the parking lot after a long call, dreading the drive back home, the thought of being caught up in the morning rush & honestly just praying that I can stay awake throughout the trip.

BARADISE: Obstetrics & Gynaecology

I’ve been wanting to start a new series of posts for awhile now, titled Baradise. These will be short recollection of various rotations I’ve completed with the greater focus being on the general overview of the rotation rather than personal reflection. As stated in Finally, I started my internship and ultimately my medical career with Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

What’s been happening since we last spoke

Wow! It’s been awhile since I’ve done this. I can’t remember the last time I sat and wrote anything down so much so it’s almost feels unnatural. There’s so much that has happened though, so much I need to catch you up on.

Finally a final year student.

There are things you absolutely look forward to going into medicine; the moment you get to tell your loved one that you’ve been accepted, your first day in class, passing your first exam, owning your first stethoscope, pair of scrubs, lab coat and obviously the day you get to wear all 3 at once. You look forward to the first time you set up IV access successfully, the first time you correctly diagnose a murmur, your first delivery, the first time you assist in the operating theatre, the first time you save a life, the day you become a final year student and the day you graduate. There’s obviously so many other firsts but at this moment these are the ones that come to mind.

Yann-U-Mentally (an 18 hours Obstetrics call)

I was one of the fortunate or unfortunate 3 students (depending on your stance) scheduled to cover the 9th of August, women’s day for an 18 hours shift. We were expected to be at the hospital from 7am till 1am the following day. I had on a clean ironed set of scrubs, my stethoscope, measuring tape, obstetrics wheel, protocol book and a bag full of food; I was fully equipped for this call.

Yann-U-Mentally (My first night in Trauma)

Our Trauma rotation starts with a 13 hours weekend shift. As a clinical group we must decide amongst ourselves who’s going to cover which shift starting from 6PM on the Friday to 6PM on the Sunday. I was one of the four brave souls who had decided on covering the Saturday night. This would have been my very first exposure to trauma, ever! and my first overnight shift so I was nervous but really excited too.

Let’s GRADUATE together (Useful tips that have saved my clinical year thus far)

Here are some useful tips I’ve picked up on that have truly saved my clinical year thus far.

They are people, not disease presentations.

Having Family Medicine as my first clinical rotation felt like a cursing and a blessing. A curse because of the extensive gap in my clinical knowledge and reasoning, and a blessing because it’s a rotation that really makes one think about the type of doctor and ultimately person they want to be.

Starting to resemble medicine, maybe a little bit. (Pt 2)

For most people, including myself, today is the first official day of fifth year.