a week in the life ft. halfway ball

seven days in the life of a third year

yep

Sunday 15th March

It is freezing. I can hear students walking in the street. Birds are chirping. Yep, I woke up in my car this morning. Halfway Ball was not very memorable funnily enough.

I hurdle my way back home for a NEMSOC simulation day. All very exciting and daunting! Do I know my ABCs, prehospital escalation pathways. Do I know how to even intimate?! A lot of pressure but my station peers were very strong and held their nerve particularly during the station I led. Note to self. Learn paediatrics algorithms - BLS, airways and management for common cores. I know it’s the rotation you haven’t done but you’ll definitely need to know it soon!

Monday 16th March

Back on the Mental Health Community Team. A very fascinating patient with a background of depression with periods of mania and anxiety, suicidial ideation, angry outbursts + overdosing, weight loss and obsessions with his appearance. An isolated incident of hallucination likely due to overdose. Obsessions with self-image related to hair transplant and dental gap closure. Worked as a teacher. Demonstrated good insight in his own health and condition. Appeared to be a patient to benefit from continued psychological support with crisis team safety netting.

Midway through an afternoon discussion with previous patients with the senior doctor, an email comes shuttling in.

With effect from Tuesday, 17th March 2020. Clinical Placements in year 3 will be cancelled. This includes ICCP and SSC3 placements. The Year 3 OSCE will be cancelled. Year 3 written exams will be cancelled.

That is it. The end of 3rd Year. Hours after Halfway Ball. Coronavirus has struck. A week later, looking through computation-based modelling evidence provided by a team at Imperial College London has helped dramatically shift government policy. Universities are to close.

Could I work on hobbies? Further qualifications? Publication preparation? Textbook collection? Financial learning? Planning to move out starts tomorrow.

Tuesday 17th March - Interview for HCA?

Bags are packed. All ready to shift back home. Whilst planning to make a pit-stop to the library to drop-off books, I notice the possibility to collecting an online copy by scratching off the inside code. Well, its now or never to learn Obs+Gynae, Mental Health and Paediatrics using these valuable resources. At the library, whilst considering the likelihood of loans being extended regardless because of the virus, I consider the possibility of collecting more textbooks - this time question finals books.

At the library, I meet Helen. She’s like so ‘what have you got planned for the next few months?’ ‘Well not sure - still planning it out.’ ‘Well what about returning for more HCA work?’ She’s already planning to return to work as a HCA and it seems an incredibly valuable use of your time between now and September. Maintain clinical skills and exposure to teaching environments. That evening, I submit an application to St Peter’s Hospital to work in their A&E Department full-time.

Wednesday 18th March - HCA Interview?

The Yaris is packed. I’m off home. Goodbye Durham. Rumours of a lock-down affecting London are filtering through.

On returning home, I receive an email explaining they would like to meet but:

You may have already been invited to attend a recruitment event on the 28th March however due to the large numbers that were due to attend and the current guidelines on large gatherings, the Trust has decided that this event should be cancelled.

Hospitals seemingly can’t even run recruitment events. The impact of coronavirus is becoming more and more real. A&E Full-time is looking real again. This time under unprecendented conditions. Will require self-isolation from the family. A great deal of resilience and clinical understanding to cope. Will prepare for this as best as possible.

Thursday 19th March - two interview invites in one day!

HCA

Thank you for your application (AR-190-035-891) in respect of the above position. We are pleased to invite you to attend an interview.

A&E Full-time is looking real again. This time under unprecendented conditions. Will require self-isolation from the family. A great deal of resilience and clinical understanding to cope. Will prepare for this as best as possible.

SUMMER RESEARCH

We are happy to inform you that you have been pre-selected for the next stage of the process. First, we have attached the detailed project proposal that you will be working on during the summer and would like to know if you are motivated and keen to work on this project.

Well, my third annual Institute of Cancer Research Summer Application has a bit more traction this time. We will see how this ends up tomorrow. Meanwhile, to start learning all about the proposal.

Friday 20th March - Interview for Summer Research

2.30pm arrives. Load up Skype. Audio isn’t available. Restart Skype at 2.32pm. Audio is available. After that technical blunder, ’tell me about yourself.’ I explain past experiences relevant to the application and my suitability towards genomics. He asks any questions for me, ‘I ask about monitoring during the project.’ He dutifully explains the balance will depend on being in-person or online. In either case, he will be the principal supervisor. 2.42pm Skype meeting over. Not much more to add. Felt I had prepared strongly academically. Felt robust in my plan of attack of the project. Certainly, could have been more elaborate about myself, rather than what I’ve done before. Strengths and weaknesses whilst directly relating it to the proposal. It was a challenge to prepare in <24h. We shall see come next week.

Saturday 21st March

Horror stories start filtering through. Consultants on ventilators. Front-line healthcare staff left without PPE. ICU staff feeling overburdened, overstretched with not ease in-sight. If there ever was a time to avoid being in hospital literally, it is now. But perhaps this is is my time. Just when everyone is trying to get away, get towards the source and use your experience and knowledge to the best of your ability.

For now, probably time to work on my lung fitness. Playing hockey in the street - by myself of course.

Sunday 22nd March

I begin to map out plans to self-isolate in case of work acceptance and illness. The bedroom, car and bathroom are my limits. Food delivery in plastic / disposable containers. Clothing washing to be minimised + only by me. Avoiding infection risks to my family is my responsibility should I have the opportunity to go into work. This cannot be understated.