Junior Doctors-Anyone watching?

[hermanmunster]

Ther is no choice between surgeon and physician you are either one or the other. If you try to do t'other it is hopeless and tends to end in tears ( for the doc that is ) Presumably genetic or something

[Snowdrops]

Ugh, the bit this week where the dr had to 'nibble' the bone on the bloke who'd chopped the end of his finger off. Admittedly he did a nice job and it looked great once he'd sewn it all up, but oh dear, it did make me wriggle in my seat

[hermanmunster]

Always looks worse on tv or if being left to hold a retractor for hours ..... Much easier if you are actually doing it! Squeamishness is curious (says quite a squeamish doc) remember showing a film of a hip replacement at an open day - all the under fives and the over 75s were fine - everyone else looked a bit green..

[tiredmumof2]

When I was a junior doctor 100 years ago, we were on the wards for about 100000 hours a week. I have to confess that I can't watch this as when I have tried and the poor junior doctor stares mournfully at the camera saying - "I'm so tired I've been here since 8.30pm" I shout at the screen telling it that she doesn't know she's born, when I was a junior I'd have to work from Friday morning til Monday evening and when you're doing obstetrics that's no sleep for a few days.

All I've seen them do (from the few minutes I've seen) is put in drips, take the odd vial of blood, dab things, and run around heroically doing not very much in cardiac arrest situations, all being heavily supervised of course in case they might do something on their own....Where's the "see one, do one, teach one" mentality gone, I ask you.

Anyway, that's my moan over. I'm sure Herman knows what I mean.

Oh- and my daughter is definitely not going to be a doctor so she tells me. I went to see a relly in hospital the other day and took her with me. Opposite us was a rather confused gentleman who had a heart rate of 140 with alarms going off everywhere (which obviously were entirely ignored). Next to our relly was a prisoner. Probably category A*****, since he had 3 minders, all armed with clipboards, which they filled in every few minutes (very important no doubt), and a big long chain that issued from the handcuff on his wrist, was tied round the bed post, with the other end fastened to one of the burly prison officers. He groaned and muttered and refused to talk to anyone (probably coming up for trial my sister, another doctor, cynically said). I wondered what would happen if he made a run for it - would the burly police officer's wrist get mangled??

We got out of the hospital and within 2 secs, DD said "well I'm never going back in any hospital - that was horrible". So there you have it. Very sensible child. Didn't even need to make her watch the dreadful junior doctor docudrama.....

[hermanmunster]

Ho ho - I know just what you mean .... at least it was good practice for having babies who kept waking up all night... at least you don't have to think much about what to do when the baby won't sleep.

Actually I did have a prisoner make a run for it once, the warders caught up with him 2 floors down - trouble is they were in civvies so the staff there thought they were 3 men having a fight so tried to seperate them

Glad DD has seen sense!!!

[Clare]

Did anyone watch a previous documentary aired in the early 90's about medical school ?

There was a single mother of 4 doing her training.She amazed me.

It was a very warts and all reflection and was much better than this current series. There was a follow up series too.

Tiredmumof2 I recall one that was in tears because she was so tired.

[Snowdrops]

Yes, I remember that series, didn't she go on to be an anaesthetist?

All I can say now is 'toilet brush'!

[East lancs mumof4]

Ha ha 'toilet brush'
Dare I ask the experienced medics on here how realistic this docu is? I only ask as DD is now set on being a Doctor! Unfortunately/fortunately this docu seems to have made her mind up! I have tried to put forward the opinion that docu's show only the interesting bits, a snapshot in time!

[hermanmunster]

Can't comment as having watched it ( at one time I would have said it was because I was too busy ), not now I am glad to say.

Anyway, like work experience, these things probably show the most interesting parts of medicine. Medicine has also changed over the years:
- the hours are less
- the boxes to be ticked are more numerous
- there is little SODOTO (see one do one teach on)
- more concentration on "good behaviour" while you are there .... hmm would any of us have qualified these days??

sadly though I think medical school is more of a sausage factory aiming to turn out generic doctors all the same - doesn't work like that - pathologists and psychiatrists are very different and med school has to produce them and all stations between.

To be more confident of your own views / personality / feelings I reckon it is better to be a graduate these days - 4 year accelarated course.

[East lancs mumof4]

Thanks for that Herman. I didn't know there was such a thing as a 4 yr accelarated course!
I think I may have to research this whole thing in detail, especially as option choices are due in soon! Don't want her to leave out any subject that she may regret later!