Internship Guide 2020

Day one of internship I found myself simultaneously answering three phone calls (literally), all the while trying
to type ward-round notes for my registrar, and it was overwhelming to the point where I was actually somewhat
(selfishly) relieved when one of them was a MET call and we had to go. It was a steep learning curve for my first
day as a working doctor and the panic and imposter syndrome was real. But since then, I have learned a few
really important things and have come not just to appreciate, but to LOVE working as an intern.
Firstly, how damaging and inaccurate it is to describe interns as “glorified paper-pushers”. The decisions that
we get to make mean something. They mean something for your team when you can come to them with plans
and suggestions instead of problems. They mean something to your patients, who benefit from your dedication
to seeking the best care for them possible. And they mean something to you and me, to be able to learn and
teach ourselves and build our confidence as junior doctors. That is not to say we shouldn’t ask for help though,
because medicine is a team sport, and I have been pleasantly reassured that the decision-making never ends
with me if I don’t feel comfortable. Knowing your limits is equally as important as having the confidence in your
ability, but learning to feel (dare I say it) ~essential~ while you’re in Med school, is a really valuable skill.
Secondly, communication is perhaps the most valuable tool we have. I have found that as an intern, I have
the face-to-face time with patients that sometimes the bosses don’t, and this is a unique opportunity to really
listen. When you can start asking the questions about what someone’s home environment is, give them the
chance to clarify parts of the plan they have misunderstood, and update a patient’s family, there are things that
a patient will remember and will set you apart. It is also the biggest thing I regret not feeling more confident
about as a med student. Med students and interns are often in a unique position to purely watch the reaction
of a patient and their family as they get given news or explained a plan during a busy ward round, without the
added pressure of clinical decision making that the registrars or consultants might have. You can observe a lot
from the end of the bed when you genuinely care, and feeding that back to the team is super valuable.
Thirdly, it is easy to forget how to exercise and eat healthily and have a life outside of work. My personal opinion
is that adjusting to work (let alone your first year of work as a doctor...in a pandemic) is always going to be a
little difficult. Once I allowed myself to accept that and accept that it was ok to binge watch Netflix or singlehandedly
fund UberEats every now as then as long as I still found time for things and people I cared about,
working life became really enjoyable. I refound a routine and a love for cooking and the beach, and in that
refound a love for medicine and the exciting first year that internship is!
Dr Catriona Johnston
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