What do you do at your Day@Work?

Emergency physicians provide acute care for all ages. Typically the situation in my workplace is very intense and stressful as people who have had a serious deterioration in their health condition or have met with a major accident come to an A&E (Accident & Emergency). Naturally, we need to prioritise our resources depending upon the severity of cases coming in. We divide ourselves into 3 teams: 1. Resuscitation or Resus station - to treat critically ill or severely injured patients, who are on the verge of death 2. Majors - slightly sick and may need monitoring. 3. Common issues - common flu, stomach pain, etc. who come to A&E as it may be odd hours to find a General Practitioner (GP).

My recess station days are usually very busy - I ought to be on my toes all the time. It starts with a short meeting with my fellow doctors who worked the previous shift, and they will be tired as well. They brief me on the status of various patients, treatment strategy, etc. There could be days when 10 ambulances come in an hour, and there could be days where we don't get ambulances for a few hours. The most common case is that of a patient collapsing on account of a heart attack. At the end of the day, we usually have de-brief sessions to discuss what went right, what could be done better, what went wrong, etc.

What's your career journey been like so far?

When I was a kid, I wasn't really into sports, nor did I have any interesting hobbies. I used to read a lot though. I scored well - at least good enough to get into a medical school. My friends wanted to become Doctor because their parent/ parents was/ were Doctor (s). For me, it was not the case. I am the first Doctor in my family. I knew that taking up medicine comes with a lot of sacrifices and that I will have to dedicate 10 years (or even more perhaps) of my life. But the feeling of treating patients, saving lives, and making a difference to their lives kept me going.

How was your journey through medical school?

The first four years of my course were quite intense, involving a lot of reading and learning. At that point, I still wasn't sure if I would be practising as a doctor. In the 5th year, we do an internship, working under a senior doctor, and that was a very steep learning curve for me. I took almost two full years to decide that I wanted to specialise in emergency. It is in internships that people usually figure out where they want to specialise. Initially, I thought I wanted to be a surgeon but decided against it after realising that the training takes 10 long strenuous years and doesn't allow a social life.

Today people like to travel and work in other countries. Is that a possibility for doctors?

It depends... Every country has a medical council, and you need to register with them to practice as a doctor. Indian medical degree is not recognised in most other parts of the world. If you have a degree from outside India and you wish to practice in India, you will need to register yourself as well. Popular countries to practice as a doctor like the US, the UK, Canada, Australia, all have their own exams (PLAB in the UK, AMC in Australia, USMLE in the USA). You can register as Doctor to practice in the country if you clear the respective exams. It is worth mentioning that most of these exams can be taken remotely (from wherever you are).

Any words of advice for students who aspire to become doctors?

To do well as a doctor focus is of paramount importance - you need to be present in the situation and not think about anything else. There should be a willingness to learn difficult terminologies and concepts. Attention to detail will help you diagnose faster. Finally, unlike in other professions, you need to realise you are almost always on call (24 x 7)!