Ladies and Gentlemen, First Blog Post Of 2012!
Oops.
Once again it's back to that time of year: Exams. Revision. No life outside of Medicine! I always seem to remember I have a blog at this point of time.
At the end of this academic year, if all goes well and as planned, I will actually be half a doctor. Scary thought!
Third Year of Medical School has definitely been the best so far.
Having learnt about the science behind medicine and medical conditions for the last two years, putting this into practise has been an incredible experience.
Having had three different medical and surgical placements at three different hospitals over the course of this year, I've learnt how to diagnose patients; I've learnt how to interpret ECGs & X Rays; I've learnt signs, symptoms, causes, investigations and management for over eighty different disorders/conditions!!
I've seen how important empathy and the doctor-patient relationship can really be; I've learnt that relationships and emotional well-being have a massive impact on a patient's recovery; I've witnessed how so many people turn to God in their time of need.
I've seen patients cry, I've seen patients laugh, I've luckily not yet seen a patient die.
I've seen children with appendicitis; I've examined adults with Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinaemia. I've been up till early hours of the morning in A&E; I've assisted in emergency surgical procedures. I've fallen asleep in clinics after sleepless nights; I've finished bedside teaching on a Friday evening at 8pm. I've ventilated unconscious surgical patients, I've cannulated conscious ones. (and had to recannulate - fail)
I've been taught by world-renowned professors; I've been taught by junior doctors. I've even been taught by patients...
What third year has taught me is truly invaluable.
With only five weeks left to go, I can say that I'm going to be quite sad to see this year finish so soon.
The only real positive about finishing a clinical year, and moving on to a BSc, is that I can finally wear nail polish again.
:)
'Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or to lose.'
-Lyndon B. Johnson
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