Done with Psychiatry Rotation

Wow! can't believe it's been four weeks already, went kinda fast. Oh well I'm done with psychiatry rotation, and am glad. next up will be my finals in psych, then am done! done!! done!!! wooooohooo.

Well I made a very major decision today, which is Psychiatry is not for me.

I did admire some of the doctors there and their work, but we all know our strength and weakness, and this lead me in making up my mind. I have nothing but respect for psychiatrist. Being in the psych ward for a month has taught me a lot about this profession and I have to say it takes a lot of courage, requires dedication, empathy and detachment. This is a profession where you cannot cure your patients, in order words most (not all) of the patients you have keep coming back for a life time. So what keeps you going?? well I think you should ask a psychiatrist. A profession where a lot of your patients don't even want to see you. But yet they get up every morning and go to work, most of them with a smile (esp the ones I worked with) on their face, just to help this patients. A profession where each day you have to repeatedly try to convince most of your patient to stay so you can help them. A profession where some of your patients pose a serious treat to you. A profession where you listen to all sort of complains and stories, day in day out from your patients, some of which are so depressing and some just not making sense, most of all you must not be judgmental ( anyone who is human knows how hard this is). But at the same them it is a profession where you have patients who do nothing but make you laugh, hey they work with the craziest and most bizarre people ever. And lots more. It is indeed an admirable profession. lets give up to every psychiatrist out there!!!!!. More grease to your elbows and keep doing your thing.

P.s

sorry I have been rubbish on here this past two weeks, been super busy. But my stories as promised are still coming, gonna tell you guys all about my experience, esp for those of you who will never have the privilege to spend a month in a psychiatric ward (am not being sarcastic here), you get the opportunity to know a bit.

Sleep

As promised in my last post, said I would tell you all about my 1st week in the acute ward. here goes (more to come)

I learnt, always to be on time (well I am still working on it), Because not only are your tutors gonna get mad at you, but the patients are watching.. On Tuesday I was late to work, with two of my mates (always good to have company, ha ha), on entering the ward we were greeted by one of the patients "YOUR LATE", who pointed out to us were the others were (how nice), as they had began ward rounds. After we changed and we were headed to join the rest the same patient asked us, what happened that you are late? Did you over sleep? (of course we did, its not easy to wake up early).Well I just smiled, I didn't see that coming. When we got to this patient's room for rounds, my God I realized I was head down, not wanting to make eye contact because of shame (ok maybe I am exaggerating It). But I did learn, you gotta be at work on time.

Am learning that one of the biggest things you have to do In the medical profession is sacrifice, and your gonna sacrifice a lot (sleep inclusive). Pretty hard thing to do especially the sleep part. Anyone who knows me, will associate me with sleep. Yeah that's how much I love sleep. So I find myself always asking this questions (in regard to sleep) am I cut out for this profession? How do I handle calls?

On the other hand been studying for my final exam In Psych which is soon, as I am almost done with the practice. I have read a lot about sleep disturbances (yes it is under Psych). I could go on to tell you a whole lot about sleep, and I mean really a lot, like the phases, why we dream, sleep walk and all that but am not gonna bore you (if you are not a medical student, oh how lucky, you don't have to read all this, If you are a medical student, ha ha, enjoy). I just wanna draw your attention to snoring, which is often over looked. well it could be nothing, but if you know some one who snores, advice them to go have themselves checked.

keep smiling, love