The medical internship year is usually associated with lots of stress and it can be quite tiresome. Sometimes people even say you should just dedicate that whole year to being in the hospital all the time which can be quite frustrating, especially when you have other things to attend to. In today’s post, some medical doctors share their experiences with combining being medical interns and still having a life outside the hospital – from running a business to destressing and enjoying life to the fullest. I’m certain you’d gain a thing or two from their experiences, which can also be applied to other aspects of life. Enjoy! Elizabeth… …is a public health physician, among other things. If you ask for the minister of enjoyment on the streets of Twitter, you’ll be promptly directed to Dr ETP, as she’s popularly called. Internship Hospital + a typical day at work? I interned at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH). A typical day in internship is hard to detail as each unit had its peculiarities but I’ll just try to generalize it. As a house officer, in most units; you’d be the first person to see the patients in the morning when you do your house Officer’s round, which involves asking for new complaints, investigation results and also any changes in vital signs, among other things. You’d do this for all your patients and report your findings to a senior colleague (normally a resident doctor) who will then do their round after yours.After rounds, there are a number of other activities which is generally supporting the medical team in clinical activities, administrative and otherwise (this is where the line blurs and many interns get upset – like having to buy bread and beans lol but such is life at times). A summary of internship year? I’d summarize my year as intensely challenging some days, and relaxed other days – it’s a rollercoaster you’ve just got to keep your hands tightly on the reins and take control of your life as you go through it. I allowed myself to be immersed in it and did each posting as though I had a plan to specialize in the field, it helped build a positive work ethic and made my senior colleagues likelier to share experiences with me. Outside of being a doctor? I am a public health physician who has many years of experience in civil society organizations management. I’ve been an invited speaker at the World Health Organization, United Nations Youth Assembly, and the GIMAC Pre-Africa Union Summit. Currently, I’m a co-founder of a non-profit non-governmental organisation, Inspire Youth Leaders (Nigeria), and the founder and editor-in-chief of my 5-year old blog, www.ElizabethTPeters.com. Finding the balance? Finding the balance would be to know your job description and know when you draw the line, for your own health’s sake. Recognize that you cannot possibly do everything and that you work as part of a team; just because you can do it doesn’t mean you have to, because some healthcare professionals will abuse your availability and when you collapse from exhaustion they’re the same ones that will say “she used to work too much as if she’s the only doctor”. Please, dears. Plus, taking time for yourself is in your patient’s best interests too, a worn-out doctor is a hazard. Tips for others? Challenges as an intern are everywhere you turn, unfortunately. Challenges from senior colleagues, from allied healthcare staff, from patients’ relatives and even your patients themselves. How you cope boils down to your personality traits but as a rule, know when to let things slide and when to speak up. Don’t be that confrontational doctor but also don’t be the doormat doctor either. Weigh each situation you’re in and act accordingly – when in doubt ASK. One consistent piece of advice I got in every posting was to “always pass the ball”. Acknowledge when the issue is above your level of understanding and escalate it to the appropriate person on the team – this is a learning period, don’t assume responsibilities that you cannot be accounted for. I strongly advocate for self-development. If you don’t actively plan towards it, you could spend the year chasing blood and lab results and have nothing to show for it, as you can’t put “professional blood-chaser” on your CV. You can put Research Assistant, or certificates from short courses you do. Be wise with your time and don’t let “tiredness” rob you of the opportunity to better yourself when you’re not on duty. Some inside gist? My favourite colour is pink to see (i.e colour of items around me, like my bedroom walls) but black to wear haha. I love travelling and trying new foods – I’ve been to 17 countries so far and I’m looking to expand that. 😁 Ik… …is a vibrant and diverse Medical Doctor and Entrepreneur. Internship Hospital + a typical day at work? I’m carrying out my medical internship at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Ebute-Metta, Lagos. A typical workday has me waking up at 5:30am to leave home at 6:30 so I can get to work at 7:00am. This helps me beat the morning traffic and get to work in time to do my pre-ward round checks on patients which involves asking about new complaints and carrying out physical examinations, among other things. Call days are the most demanding, just like calls in any other health facility. Sometimes, they are quiet, other times, busy, but there’s always work to do. Housejob at FMC isn’t as cumbersome as some other facilities like LUTH, National Hospital (this is exactly why I really wanted FMC). Outside of being a doctor? I run StekoDesigns, an agency that specialises in assisting the growth of businesses through compelling brand design, digital marketing and business consultations. I design and consult for a diverse group of organizations, including EMDEX, Nigeria’s No 1 Drug Reference Company. I also host Business and Design Masterclasses in Lagos, Nigeria. Finding the balance? Honestly, it’s been very tiresome. I don’t rest when my colleagues do and sometimes, I’ve had to sleep just 3-4 hours at night and I end up looking really tired or nodding off at work. It’s not as easy anymore to spend time with those I love. Housejob has placed more demand on me to deliver to clients. Sometimes, I default and I’m not able to meet deadlines. It’s a terrible feeling when you’re stuck at work and you remember you have a design to send to a client. It’s been so difficult taking on more jobs, it seems my income earning capacity is reduced, but, thank God, Housejob pays – and at FMC, – promptly. So it’s kind of balanced out. I must weigh the odds and plan wisely. Balancing the activities of an intern with running a business and visions that course my mind every day. Sigh. That’s something I’m still adjusting to. It’s not new though since I already started the business in medical school, but it’s not the same. Here, in Housejob, you can’t just disappear or ask to be excused. You have real responsibilities. You have to attend to your patients, yet, you can’t disappoint your clients. So what did I do? 1. ReferSince I already am on a retainership contract with some organisations, I sought out a few designers I could refer other clients to. If I was going to take on an extra Design/Marketing job, then it better be high paying or gives me huge exposure. 2. OutsourceI outsourced jobs that will demand me learning a new skill. I’m a fast learner so then, if a client asked me if I designed eg. web pages, I would typically say yes, learn it and do the job so excellently, they’ll think I was an expert at it. But now I don’t have the luxury of time. So, I outsource and make a little in the process. Being a middleman is good too. 3. DelegateI’m a Doer. That’s good, but the problem with that is we tend to subconsciously try to do everything ourselves. I currently am organising Design and Business Masterclasses and have realised that having a team of people is necessary. So I’m building a team that helps plan and execute this training effortlessly. All I need to do is show up and teach. Tips for others? Nonetheless, in spite of all these challenges, I feel my body, mind and schedule adjusting. I’m wiser about time management. I’m wiser about taking jobs. I try to communicate my apologies to clients when I default and make it up to them by going the extra mile or coming through earlier than normal when I’m less busy. Yeah, at times when I’m free, I do work ahead. I try, as I’ve always done in med school to squeeze out time for those I love. I have an exceptional girlfriend that helps out where she can and a family that loves regardless. I try not to work on Sundays (except I’m on call). I don’t pick business calls on weekends unless it’s urgent. I just disappear from the business/work world. I try to rest. My advice to people about to venture or already are into this kind of life: Business and Medicine (HouseJob to be precise) are already in between the lines. 1. Refer as much as you can2. Create a team and Delegate responsibilities3. Manage your time wisely4. Don’t leave out your loved ones5. Neither your Business, Work nor Relationships should suffer. You can work with StekoDesigns by reaching out on any of the platforms, or visiting their website www.stekodesigns.com. Some inside gist? I watch movies a lot, I like playing FIFA, I like to dance (in my closet), I like gist and making sarcastic comments…lol. I’m an extroverted introvert. George… …is a medical intern and event compere, among other amazing things. He is popularly known in the social spaces as TheTalkDoctor. Internship Hospital + a typical day at work? I am currently interning at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba. A typical day for me starts with waking up in the morning (obviously) from probably having less than 6hours of sleep (from the previous night due to the hectic work), a short prayer and then preparing for the day ahead. Activities of the day vary, from ward rounds to clinics, presentations, emergency surgery or chasing for blood/materials BUT one thing is constant – ENDLESS WALKING! Before the end of the day, the day’s work could have taken me around the compound at least 3 times! As I say, doing your housejob is the best way to lose weight and keep fit! A summary of housejob year? It definitely hasn’t been a very comfortable year as the work is mostly hectic, however, I have learnt invaluable skills that will help me moving forward. I have also had the privilege of seeing the workings of the healthcare system from within. In medical school, we heard a lot about how bad the system was and this year gave me the opportunity to experience the good, bad and ugly when it comes to health care in Nigeria. While some units I passed through had senior colleagues who made the hectic work a little more enjoyable, some other units had people who made it more hell than it already was. All through the work, I was able to create new relationships, discover more things about myself, appreciate my strengths more and identify my weaknesses. All in all, it has been an eye-opening year! Outside of being a doctor? When I am not saving lives in the hospital, I am saving lives at events as a Master of Ceremonies/Event Compère or via media as a Radio/TV show host. I am also a health content creator/writer, a Health Educator and an author-in-view (my 1st book will soon be out). Generally, I like to think of myself as a Healthertainer. Finding the balance? 😄😄😄I get this question a lot. It hasn’t been easy finding...
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