Why Medicine
Academically I was successful at school which opened the door as an option, then I had some experiences that made me think I wanted to acquire the skills and knowledge to help people in a medical capacity
How did CCB help
You need the sciences for applications to medical schools, which I doubt I would have been as successful at my previous school. having intimate class sizes at A level plus teachers on duty in evenings to help was a huge help.
Appreciating the pastoral care given at CCB, but living away from home was a good stepping stone into leaving home for university.
Lastly, I feel sport is a key tool in stress management, and playing so much at CCB has laid a foundation for me going through university then on into working life. Sport teaches you so much by proxy, communication, leadership and follwership, conflict resolution, how to win and how to lose but to go the next day again.
Where did you train
I studied medicine at Southampton University - because it was the only place I got into! This was very fortunate as it is a social medical school and less academically driven for most students during my time there, with a huge focus on sports both competitively and as inclusive clubs for people to belong to. For our theory years we were based in Southampton whilst clinical placements were all over the south coast of England; Portsmouth, Dorchester, Bournemouth and the Isle of Wight - I was even lucky enough to undertake overseas placements in South Africa and in the Caribbean!
It is also possible to pause medical studies and take an extra year to "intercalate", attaining an additional degree with one year extra study. Between my 4th and final years I spent a year at QMUL/Barts and the London studying a degree in Sports and Exercise Medicine and being a tourist in the capital.
Why did you do what you are doing i.e. type of Medicine
I chose my current job in women's health with an eye to my planned eventual destination of Emeregncy Medicine. As we see a lot of miscarriages, morning sickness and other pregnancy related problems as well as other women's health issues, I wished to have greater exposure to this.
I am currently intending to work the Emergency Medicine, based in and A&E department. I enjoy this work as the information light diagnostic challenge and the ability to help people when they are at their worst hits my personal and professional job satisfaction buttons. Plus, you get to wear scrubs all day meaning I don't have to iron shirts!
Where have you worked
I completed my compulsory two years of postgraduate Foundation training at Southampton General Hospital, rotating through a variety of specialities including 4 months working at a local GP practice.
Following this, I was undecided at the time regarding what speciality I wished to go into so undertook a years' fellowship working in the Emergency Department at Southampton with a side focus on medical education, completing a Postgraduate certificate in the topic. I was in the ED when the covid pandemic hit the UK.
To complement my emergency experience, I then worked in the Intensive Care Unit (predominantly caring for covid patients through the second lockdown) and then Trauma and Orthopaedics caring for patients with broken bones and major trauma from car accidents etc, before moving to New Zealand where I have worked in the Acute Mental Health inpatient ward before moving on to my current job working in Women's Health.
Alongside my day-to-day work I have done some shadowing with Portsmouth FC, assisted with pre-season medical at Southampton FC and worked as a Match Day Doctor for club rugby here in New Zealand.
Why go overseas
I was lucky enough to travel the South Island of New Zealand in 2019, just before Covid hit, and had an amazing time and wished to explore the country further in the future.
The plan was to enter the Emergency Medicine training programme after my time in Orthopaedics, with the intent on taking a break partway through training to live abroad. However, my partner and i decided that the past few years have taught us that we don't know what is around the corner and, before barriers like mortgages and children come along, it would be easier to make the move sooner rather than later.
Where are you working now
I am currently working in a smaller hospital in a town called Palmerston North on the bank of the Manawatu river, nearish the middle of New Zealand's north island. 2hrs from ski fields and 45 mins to the beach, it has been a great base for exploration - from summitting the dormant Mt Taranaki, snowbaording on Mt Ruapehu, Maori culture and volcanic hot pools in Rotorua, multi-day canoe voyages down the mighty Whanganui river to completing the Tongariro crossing and much much more!
Best part of your job
The times when you get to help people, especially when it is most tangible. Patients whose symptoms you help alleviate, families that your communication helps settles anxieties, occasionally patients who you stop dying - or even who die and you help bring back to life! I think this is most evident on my current job when working on the birthing unit; women and their children who have infections, major bleeding or need emergency c-sections who would not be alive if they lived in Victorian times, but that we - as a team - are now able to care for.
Mentioning the team - this is a great source of enjoyment for me, especially in areas of flattened hierarchy between doctors, nurses, healthcare, assistants etc. Some of my closest friends from work are those from across the team who we have worked tough days or tough cases with and come out the other side together.
Worse part of your job
Long hours, often including evening and weekends. Not much notice on rotas meaning planning ahead for weddings and holidays is challenging. There is a lot of tick boxing undergoing assessments and meetings, which often occur outside of working hours. Similarly, regardless of chosen speciality, you are required to sit postgraduate exams at your own personal cost (in the hundreds of pounds) and revision for these exams is undertaken in your own personal time. Work can be high stress, either due to how sick your patients are, how many patients you have to see or being met with unkind behaviour directed at you from patients and/or their relatives. It can be quite emotionally demanding, and I know of plenty of colleagues who have had a good cry at the end of the day, or have had to take personal days away from work to work through experiences.
Future
The immediate future is undertaking further work here in New Zealand, sitting the next of my Emergency Medicine examinations before undertaking a road trip around the South Island. I have recently provisionally secured work as a Wilderness Trip Leader in northern Minnesota for summer 2023 before returning to the UK.
I intend to eventually undertake training in Emergency Medicine. Ideally around south Wales/Bristol region, hopefully incorporating medical education as part of my role, but we'll see what happens between now and that point....
