Work

I've often marvelled at how amazing it is to be granted the privilege to do the work that I do.

It truly is a privilege to be able to wake up every morning, go to work and care for the sick.

To be able to gain insight into their lives, to help make them better, to be trusted with their stories and their secrets, to have their families trust you to care for the ones they hold most dear; it is an extraordinarily humbling profession.

Today came with a lot of 'firsts' for me:

1. I managed my first acutely unwell patient from start to finish
2. I took my first set of ABGs
3. I experienced my first "breaking of bad news"
4. I certified my first death

It's been a long 16-hour day, and I start up again in 6 hours, so I should probably get some sleep.

The thing is... Given the day I've had, it's not exactly easy to come home at the end of the day and wind down. The adrenaline, which is so crucial to keeping you going while you're at work, doesn't just switch off when you leave the hospital. It takes time to wear off.

But now that the silence has overcome me, I'm ready to call it a night.

And at the end of the day, this is what I think about being a doctor:

The job is hard, but the work is good.

When you put everything you have into it, you start to get into the flow of things and it just feels right. And when everyone works together and does their part well, it feels like a symphony.

You cannot do medicine by halves, and I cannot think of anything else I'd rather be doing.

I love my job.