The last month and a half have seen me hopping from one trust to another, gaining experience working as first on-call with them, seeing patients before they are seen by registrars, starting IV lines, attending delivery calls, and so on. There has been some addition to my savings as well, and that is definitely not something to be scoffed at. The result of these peregrinations has been satisfying. I have made new contacts at different hospitals. I have gained insight into how things are done. My practical skills are improving. The one other thing that has kept me interested in doing locums is that I am seeing a more diverse range of illnesses and learning more about how to manage them.
To a layman, the prospect of seeing more illnesses and suffering might be intimidating. To a doctor who is learning on the job, it is very exciting to see newer problems and learn how to tackle them. In the process, I have enriched my knowledge. To give you a few examples, I worked at a tertiary care centre in Manchester. There, I saw a whole range of children with complex problems. I was able to, for the first time since I came to the U.K., understand what happens to children we refer to the tertiary centres from our own trust in Blackpool; in fact, I even met a few of Blackpool's patients receiving their treatment in Manchester. It was very educative.
In Bolton, a few days ago, I met the first Bohri family with their sick infant. In fact, this family was the first Bohri family I have met since I came here to the U.K.! I was humbled. It was an unique experience. They were as happy to meet a doctor who is Bohri himself. Of course, it is nothing dramatic to meet a Bohri - in fact, it is normal to meet our community's people almost anywhere on the planet. But for me, on this particular occasion, it was the first time ... and so, unique.
My work at a trust in Greater Liverpool was another highlight. This is the hospital at Whiston. They have the most fantastic facilities for on-call doctors - a fully furnished room to spend the night in. No other trust offered that opportunity, and it was definitely something that was unique.
Were there other memorable things? Of course, there were. At every place I worked, I found something or the other that was different from my own place in Blackpool. Not everything elsewhere was always better; however, most registrars and consultants I worked with were very cooperative and willing to support me. That was very surprising to experience, since, in my past, when I was in India, team work and cooperation at this level is unheard of. As they say, Indians often try to pull each other down than lift each other up when facing a difficult situation. I learned a lot here.
If I had to describe the above post in just one line, I would say that working in the NHS is an opportunity no one should miss if they can help it. It is not perfect, and it is facing a lot of difficulties, but the work culture here is so beneficial for one's personal development that it has to be experienced to be believed.
Thank you for reading this post. Do share your thoughts in the comments section by clicking on the "Comment" button. I shall eagerly await your input.
To a layman, the prospect of seeing more illnesses and suffering might be intimidating. To a doctor who is learning on the job, it is very exciting to see newer problems and learn how to tackle them. In the process, I have enriched my knowledge. To give you a few examples, I worked at a tertiary care centre in Manchester. There, I saw a whole range of children with complex problems. I was able to, for the first time since I came to the U.K., understand what happens to children we refer to the tertiary centres from our own trust in Blackpool; in fact, I even met a few of Blackpool's patients receiving their treatment in Manchester. It was very educative.
In Bolton, a few days ago, I met the first Bohri family with their sick infant. In fact, this family was the first Bohri family I have met since I came here to the U.K.! I was humbled. It was an unique experience. They were as happy to meet a doctor who is Bohri himself. Of course, it is nothing dramatic to meet a Bohri - in fact, it is normal to meet our community's people almost anywhere on the planet. But for me, on this particular occasion, it was the first time ... and so, unique.
My work at a trust in Greater Liverpool was another highlight. This is the hospital at Whiston. They have the most fantastic facilities for on-call doctors - a fully furnished room to spend the night in. No other trust offered that opportunity, and it was definitely something that was unique.
Were there other memorable things? Of course, there were. At every place I worked, I found something or the other that was different from my own place in Blackpool. Not everything elsewhere was always better; however, most registrars and consultants I worked with were very cooperative and willing to support me. That was very surprising to experience, since, in my past, when I was in India, team work and cooperation at this level is unheard of. As they say, Indians often try to pull each other down than lift each other up when facing a difficult situation. I learned a lot here.
If I had to describe the above post in just one line, I would say that working in the NHS is an opportunity no one should miss if they can help it. It is not perfect, and it is facing a lot of difficulties, but the work culture here is so beneficial for one's personal development that it has to be experienced to be believed.
Thank you for reading this post. Do share your thoughts in the comments section by clicking on the "Comment" button. I shall eagerly await your input.
