Pathway to Medicine

Back from another 2 days at Musgrove Park Hospital where I have spent the time on the Pathway to Medicine programme. This involved a general introduction to the NHS and a talk on infection control, which taught me what I needed to do to minimise the risk of spreading infections. Then came the fun bit! I met up with an F1 doctor who was working in the respiratory ward and who I would be shadowing for the next day and a half. It was really exciting to get closer to patients and the different types of treatment. Some of the things I enjoyed seeing were chest X-Rays, blood tests and a diagnostic lung tap, to see if any fluid in the lung was infected. I was also lucky enough to accompany a long consultant ward round and it was interesting to see how the consultant talked to both the patients and the other doctors who were in training. It also showed me that being a junior doctor involved moments that may not have been exciting (i.e. paperwork) but that they were still really important to patient care. These two days have made me even keener (if that's possible) on becoming a doctor.

The endocrinology clinic

So today was the day I learnt more about diabetes! I was invited to accompany Dr. Close (Medical Director) at Musgrove Park Hospital during his outpatient's endocrinology clinic. A number of these patients have had diabetes for many years and were suffering the side-effects such as kidney failure, circulation problems and eye problems. This taught me that for some conditions, treating the side-effects can be as difficult and as important as treating the main condition. What I found really interesting was how Dr. Close's communication style changed with each patient so that he and the patient got the most out of every consultation. It also further proved to me that not all patients can follow instructions and take their medication, even when they know there are significant risks.

Shadowing a matron

Monday 2^nd April started early for me! Leaving home before 6:30 to get to Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton by 8 am proved ... a bit of a challenge, but by the end of the day, it was well worth while! I was lucky enough to be shadowing a matron (Sally Maltravers) who looks after Endocrinology amongst other wards. First of all, I toured the Endocrinology ward with the other nurses who were discussing changes that would be made to allow for two single sex recovery rooms. I was then given the opportunity to accompany a consultant ward round in the Neurology Unit which focused on rehabilitation. This was great, as this is an area that really interests me, and taught me that whilst doctors generally know what’s best for the patient, the patient isn’t always co-operative, so listening skills, having patience and staying calm are all very important. After that, I went to SAU, where I learnt the role of the ward sister and the need to balance time spent with patients and time managing staff. Towards the end of the day, I headed to a meeting to discuss the changes to the Endocrinology ward, which involved people from different functions in the hospital to talk about practicalities of the changes and to suggest alternative options. This showed to me the planning side of medicine and the number of things that nurses and doctors get involved in.