AMAV VICDOC SUMMER 2023 - Magazine - Page 95
T H E LYC E U M C LU B, M E L BO U RN E
ime is always ticking. Tick tock.
T Tick
tock. Sometimes, you can hear
Very soon, as an intern, we are standing
in line, at the hospital coffee shop, ordering
it echoing through the halls of the
not one, but two coffees, as the day wears
hospital as feet pitter patter on the cold
us down, the pager beeping incessantly
linoleum floor, heels, trolleys clambering
as if calling us back to where we belong,
past, all rushing to get somewhere. In the
beckoning us back to the wards, where the
corridor, there are patients in beds, waiting patients lie waiting, the nurses are calling,
for the medical team to arrive as they
the consultant is coming, the medical
desperately try to avoid the morning sun,
students are following. Going home, at
covering their faces with the white sheets
the end of the day, we reminisce over the
of the hospital linen, crisp but creased at
patients we helped, the elderly man who
the edges where previously the registrar
held our hand and squeezed it in gratitude
sat, chatting to them about the plans for
for relieving the crushing chest pain he
the day.
had suffered, the young woman who could
We always have plans. Plans are carefully finally breathe after the pleural effusion had
constructed in the medical notes, while
been drained and succeeding in the difficult
the different members of the team discuss
cannulation during the MET call earlier
the observation chart, the history, the
that day.
presenting complaint, the investigations,
Yet, as we drive home later that day,
and the management of the patient in front thankful that the pager has stopped
of us. Plans are important as they help us to beeping, our ears still ringing from the
navigate the journey for our patients. But
noises, as if listening to a soundtrack on
plans do not always follow through and
repeat, the sun fading into the distance as
sometimes, the path, the navigation can
darkness approaches, it dawns on us that
be lost along the way until we dig deeper,
time is still ticking and the journey ahead
consult with other specialties, and find one seems so long. Will I get into my training
that works best to create the best outcomes program? How many years will it be?
for our patients.
Will I ever find a partner? When will I
As a medical student, we are thrown
have children? The questions are there,
into the disarray of medicine, textbooks,
and yet, we shut it out, focusing, again,
exams, clinical rotations, grasping at every
on the goal that has been there from the
opportunity to become a doctor and hoping beginning. To get into the chosen specialty
to pursue a particular pathway to fulfill our program that we had dreamed of. And, so,
clinical dreams. We quickly learn to follow as the rain starts pattering down, the wipers
the footsteps in front of us, as we hurry to
start moving fast, trying to clear the screen
keep up with the team in front of us, who
in front, as if trying to make sense of it all
are making their way through the maze of
and clearing the way forward, the path, the
the hospital, desperately hoping not to get
destination that we are trying to get to.
lost in the madness, trying to make a great
impression, reading notes late at night and
keeping up appearances.
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