The second paycheck

I picked up my second payslip yesterday. My second pay. And since we get paid by the fortnight, it means that I've been a doctor for a month. (Well, more than a month, since it took me a while to get to my pigeon hole to pick it up.)

Don't laugh, I need to be more aware of these links now, since my tired, sleep deprived, caffeine overloaded brain no longer functions on a normal level.

It scares me how quickly this month has gone by. In the past month:

1. I've parked in the doctor's carpark.
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I have gotten over the fear of the title and have claimed a proper parking slot.

2. I've saved someone's life.
In my second week, I was paged to critical care, where a little old lady was acutely short of breath. I managed to conquer my panic, order the right tests, and prescribe the right medications. This despite her gasps of "Are .... you.... old..... enough..... to..... treat..... me.... dear?" After she got her breath and I realised she was going to live another day, she patted me on the hand and told me that I would grow up to be a good doctor.

3. I acquired students.
Or, as they're known on the ward, my little ducklings. Who follow me around and hang on my every word. A scary position to be in. They're 4th year students, it's their first week on any hospital ward, and I do feel for them. I remember what it was like to be so scared and so in awe of the intern, but, at the same time, I can't believe that they look up to me so much.

A highlight: yesterday, I assigned one of them to take a history from a patient and present him to me, just for practice. I went off to clinic, and when I came back, my student was copying my admission note. I wasn't too hard on him, after all, every med student cheats off the intern's admission note. But I still can't get over the fact that my notes are now worth copying from!

4. I've broken bad news.
Today, I had to tell a patient and his family that, no, his problems were not gallstone related, but that he had a nasty form of cancer that, unfortunately, is not curable, and has already spread.

All in all, I'd say it was a hectic month.

And now I've just gotten paged to put a drip in. Sigh.