I would be fooling myself if I said I am at the top of the world. Well, yes, I am in a much-coveted place, that is true. However, when it comes to defining where I am on a professional level, I must say that I have a way to go, indeed. The reason I am writing thus is that it has been a challenge for me to adjust to the way the NHS works and the way the British people communicate with each other.
Of course, I have "improved", which means I am now doing things the way they should be done in the U.K. (which is not always the right way of doing things) and the process of unlearning what I previously knew about Pediatrics has been more than a little difficult. To make light of it, I am now practising "Paediatrics" and not Pediatrics. What this means is that the British method of healthcare is different not just in the spelling, but also in the details. I have often wondered how it is that medical care can vary so much in the details even though both systems of medicine across the Atlantic rely on much the same sources of knowledge and the same sources of research. Then I realised the difference lies in the basic way of approaching illness. Whereas the American system of medicine relies heavily on acute care, the British method is all about hanging in while the patient roughs it out through the ups and downs of his/her illness. Also, the NHS is a government-facilitated system where the citizen pays nothing. Hence, a cash crunch causes a very difficult problem of not being able to deliver healthcare where it is needed most. On the other hand, the American system is mostly based on private enterprise.
But beyond all this, at the root of it all, is the way the healthcare is tailored in consonance with the wishes of the patient. In this most important respect, the NHS is completely different from medical care anywhere else I have worked. The patient has the right to agree to, disagree with, question, and critique any care they may be receiving or be about to receive. They can, if they are mentally competent, reject treatment of any kind, no matter how strong the evidence for the use of that modality of treatment may be. The only exception is when the patient has lost their mental faculties or where a certain treatment is life-saving. This act of "putting the patient first" and keeping them in the "centre" of care makes the NHS so different. A woman may not want to breastfeed her baby even if she has a lot of milk coming in, and that is her right. In the same way, if a patient chooses not to have chemo for his malignancy, that is his right. The fear of medico-legal issues is very strong too, so if you as a healthcare giver goes against the patient's wishes, you can be penalised or even prosecuted.
On a more personal level, how has it been for me. It has been a year of mixed fortunes, but I am, as I said previously, slowly inching towards professional competence. I still have some issues that need sorting out, but I am hopeful I will be able to cross those hurdles over the next several months. At some point, I should be able to return to my middle-grade level. I am hoping this does not take more than six months more, or else, it will be difficult to sustain myself at a junior level. It will also make future promotions and move to any other country that much more difficult. So, let's see how that goes.
And that's it for this post. Do share your views and comments if you wish. Thank you for reading this and for your encouragement that I will constantly need.
Of course, I have "improved", which means I am now doing things the way they should be done in the U.K. (which is not always the right way of doing things) and the process of unlearning what I previously knew about Pediatrics has been more than a little difficult. To make light of it, I am now practising "Paediatrics" and not Pediatrics. What this means is that the British method of healthcare is different not just in the spelling, but also in the details. I have often wondered how it is that medical care can vary so much in the details even though both systems of medicine across the Atlantic rely on much the same sources of knowledge and the same sources of research. Then I realised the difference lies in the basic way of approaching illness. Whereas the American system of medicine relies heavily on acute care, the British method is all about hanging in while the patient roughs it out through the ups and downs of his/her illness. Also, the NHS is a government-facilitated system where the citizen pays nothing. Hence, a cash crunch causes a very difficult problem of not being able to deliver healthcare where it is needed most. On the other hand, the American system is mostly based on private enterprise.
But beyond all this, at the root of it all, is the way the healthcare is tailored in consonance with the wishes of the patient. In this most important respect, the NHS is completely different from medical care anywhere else I have worked. The patient has the right to agree to, disagree with, question, and critique any care they may be receiving or be about to receive. They can, if they are mentally competent, reject treatment of any kind, no matter how strong the evidence for the use of that modality of treatment may be. The only exception is when the patient has lost their mental faculties or where a certain treatment is life-saving. This act of "putting the patient first" and keeping them in the "centre" of care makes the NHS so different. A woman may not want to breastfeed her baby even if she has a lot of milk coming in, and that is her right. In the same way, if a patient chooses not to have chemo for his malignancy, that is his right. The fear of medico-legal issues is very strong too, so if you as a healthcare giver goes against the patient's wishes, you can be penalised or even prosecuted.
On a more personal level, how has it been for me. It has been a year of mixed fortunes, but I am, as I said previously, slowly inching towards professional competence. I still have some issues that need sorting out, but I am hopeful I will be able to cross those hurdles over the next several months. At some point, I should be able to return to my middle-grade level. I am hoping this does not take more than six months more, or else, it will be difficult to sustain myself at a junior level. It will also make future promotions and move to any other country that much more difficult. So, let's see how that goes.
And that's it for this post. Do share your views and comments if you wish. Thank you for reading this and for your encouragement that I will constantly need.
