Saturday 29 November 2008

Lost - Reward For Return: The Last 4 Months

It has been over a month since my last blog, and after I promised an update within the week. For those of you that are still around I thought I'd pop by and say hello. The last 4 months have flown by, my first job is over and it is sad times indeed. It doesn't seem like 2 minutes since I set foot on the ward for the first time with no clue as to what I was doing. 4 months later and I was just getting settled and its time to move on. I've really enjoyed my first job, it has been interesting and a fairly gentle introduction but most of all, the team on the ward were fantastic.  Everyone was lovely and it was a really friendly atmosphere, I think that is what I'm going to miss the most. I never expected to become attached to the job like I did. 

Perhaps what makes it worse is that I'm going from probably one of the best jobs to probably the worst! Frankly, I'm shitting bricks and I'm talking breeze blocks here! On Friday evening as I sat talking to the outgoing F1 of my new job my worst fears became a reality. Whenever anybody has asked me what I'm doing next and I've answered, it has been swiftly followed by a sympathetic sharp intake of breath. I'd spent the last few weeks in denial thinking it was a long time before I'd have to worry about that but now I'm 24 hours away from hell. From what I hear, the job is a bitch, the people hostile and the atmosphere terrifying. I've seen many of my colleagues stressed, upset and crying (mostly the outgoing two who's job becomes mine on Monday).

I'm hoping things will be different, and I intend to be optimistic, at least till 5pm on Monday (although it'll probably be more like 11pm). On the plus side it might give me a bit more blogging material. Most of the other surgical F1s seem to spend most of their time chilling out in the mess, I've never, ever seen my 2 predecessors in the mess. I've spent the last 4 months enjoying myself and feeling sorry for those having an awful time but now I suspect it's my turn. 

Oh, and in other big news, I think I might be a closet medic rather than a surgeon!

14 comments:

Michael said...

So what's the new job then? :P

Anonymous said...

good luck!

Elaine said...

Judge for yourself and don't go in with preconceived ideas. You might find that interaction is a two way street and of course your wonderful personality might make things different.......

Alos, good luck.

Anonymous said...

I'm glad the last four months have gone well, good luck with the next four!

Jo said...

I'm glad that the first job went so well - at least you have that to cling to if the next one is bad (you know that they aren't all like that, and also that the four months doesn't last forever, and as long as you can stick it out, it will all be over by the end of April)
Good luck with it all!

ditzydoctor said...

ah hah good luck!!!!

(i think we all have a bit of closet medic inside us, the medical teams are so welcoming and nice!)

Harry said...

what makes that particular surgery so much more stressful? is it the TYPE of surgery? or just the consultant / team you are hooked up with? or is it just surgery in general?!

whatever it is, i hope your first three days have been better than you expected and you're finding it INTERESTING if not enjoyable :)

Anonymous said...

You can do it! I am now hooked on you and Miss Bliss and have been following you both for the last few months. You passed your finals, you got through your first rotation, you will get through this, I know. Good luck! :-)

Sage said...

Hope all is going well, missing your updates and news but appreciate you have a busy schedule these days..

PhD scientist said...

Well, there's always the mixed medical-surgical-y specialties... or the medical ones that do lots of whizzy interventional stuff. And even full-on surgeons need medicine, surely? Speaking as the other half of a medic and ex-anaesthetist, I used to get treated regularly to the view that surgical post-op care (and outcomes) would benefit considerably from surgeons knowing more about medical management. But to be fair, that's what you would expect a medic / anaesthetist to say.

The Angry Medic said...

Yeah when I switched to my medical rotation I was amazed - they actually acknowledged my existence! Heck the consultant SPOKE to me during ward rounds! My jaw was lying on the floor so long, the nurses made me put alcogel on it :)

Hope the job's going well!

Johannah said...

Hi I just cam across your blog recently, I'm enjoying it thanks! I'd say don't judge your new job by the old one because by the sounds of it, the new one won't end up looking too good! Go in with an open mind, it may not have been for other people but you might really enjoy it! I'd love to hear what it is exactly!?

Michael said...

RIP this blog :'(

Stephanie said...

gud luck doc..