Hannah Shore - Croydon High School 1981-1991

Who would want to be a doctor……?

Long hours, poor financial rewards, relationship break downs, alcoholism, risks of being sued, verbally and physically abused – well that is how the career is often portrayed by the press. But it is not quite like that.

My interest was fired after I had refused to be an accountant like my parents!! Keen to take science A levels ( biology not being a pre-requisite) I looked in to it a bit further. I attended a great conference for sixth formers interested in medicine at Nottingham University and was hooked.

Birmingham was the medical school of my choice – it had a swimming pool and great campus.

I went through a traditional five year degree divided up in to basic sciences for two years and clinical work for the final three.( Along with much socialising in true medical student style!!.) Few medical schools teach it this way now. Most having a highly integrated curriculum where you learn about, for example, the heart for a term – physiology, anatomy, pharmacology, attend general practice  / hospital wards and clinics to learn more about clinical issues and pull it all together. The emphasis being on actual clinical situations and problem based learning rather than the pure science. Few courses have big bang finals – most are continually assessed.

Then you become a pre-registration house officer for a year and work for a medical and surgical team in two six month blocks. Following on from this you progress to being a senior house officer (SHO). At this time you consider which speciality you may want to enter. A great job at this time is Accident and Emergency medicine as here you do Orthopaedics, Gynaecology, Paediatrics, Geriatrics, Dermatology, – you name it!! After six months of this I was convinced that children are the way ahead and embarked on SHO training in Paediatrics. This includes Neonatology ( special care babies and routine care of the new born infant) and General Paediatrics ( asthma, epilepsy, gastroenteritis). Some training schemes include time spent in more specialist areas within paediatrics e.g. Oncology, cardiology.

During the two – four years spent at this grade you work towards our specialist exams. These are hard work, cost a lot of money and revision is done on the back ground of an already stressful, tiring job!! But the satisfaction once they are all over is better than A levels!!

After this you can apply to be a specialist registrar in your chosen field( where I am now  - 11 years after leaving school!!!) With this comes the knowledge that you are five years away from being a Consultant!!

I lead the ward rounds where the children / babies are reviewed everyday and plans made for their treatment. I attend clinics 2-3 times per week where children are reviewed after a stay in the ward or their chronic illness e.g. diabetes is managed – as part of a specialist team.

Ongoing education is an important part of my job, not just for personal development but also I have responsibility to teach the medical students that come and join us and also junior medical staff. I also regularly teach on resuscitation courses that train doctors and nurses from throughout Scotland, that normally involves a boozy course meal!!

I have been to Antwerp, Copenhagen, Florence, London and Glasgow on conferences, both presenting work and listening and learning from others.

Being a doctor is hard work – you are classed as a junior doctor until you are a Consultant!! I currently work over seventy hours a week, but things are improving including the financial rewards – slowly.

If you want to be rich and have time to spend it – don’t choose medicine. If you want a job that is constantly challenging both practically and intellectually you will love it.

Being at the birth of a premature baby, knowing you have made a difference to the child’s and parents life is the best feeling in the world – it may sound naff but it is true!!

The best way to contact me is via the Minerva Network Development Office. I can provide job experience for sixth formers, although at the moment working in scotland that might not be so good - but could accommodate someone at our house. I will probably be moving back south of the border in a few years.