I think I love my job

I have just come off my weekend on-call shifts and while it was probably one of the calmest weekend on-call shifts I have had to date, it was still exhausting working 12.5 hours for four consecutive days. And don't get me wrong, I am not here to whine. As you can tell from the title I am here to do the opposite.

Let us start with a little background information because I do not want to assume that everyone reading this knows what I do (Hint: Look at the picture at the top of the screen).

For as long as I can remember, I always wanted to be a doctor. This is of course with the exception of a certain pop star phase that I had, haha. But really, it was just always the plan for me and unlike many Nigerian or even African parents, it was not forced upon me by my parents, definitely encouraged, but not forced. So I did the needful through primary and secondary school and had a not- so straightforward university path to becoming a doctor, maybe I'll share this story sometime in the future. Anyway, I made it through medical school or schools (again, a tale for another day) and became a doctor in June 2021 and started working as one in August 2021.

So that's all the background information you'll be getting in this post, I need to have something to write about in future posts, haha.

Do I really love my job? Well, I think I do. I'll share a story with you.

I had an encounter with a patient recently and they were so grateful after we managed their presenting problem that they gave me a hug. I honestly wasn't sure how appropriate it was to be hugged by the patient in that moment but it felt amazing to have made a difference and that feeling is one of the reasons I love what I do. Obviously, there are also moments in medicine when things don't go as you would like them to but we're not going to ponder on that today.

There are so many other reasons why I love being a doctor. I love encountering new people from different works of life with different approaches to communicating. I always say I am not a people person because I am an introvert and tend to have a very low social energy so I am not always great at keeping a conversation going, or even starting one. But with every patient that I see I seem to get much better at the whole conversing/small talk thing. I even find myself going back for little chats with my favourite patients (medicine what have you done to me ?).

I love working with a team. I would have laughed my head off if you told me three years ago that I would say that given that I dreaded the thought of group assignments because I had to work with others. But I'm grateful for growth because it is one of the highlights of my working day; interacting with my consultants, registrars, fellow junior doctors, nurses, healthcare assistants, pharmacists, ward clerks and other healthcare professionals . I have learned so much from these people ranging from new medical information to interesting facts about the winter Olympics. I have good laughs with them and work with them to help our patients feel better and these beautiful interactions make everyday worth it. I even value the interactions that are not always pleasant because there is a lot to learn from them.

I could go on and on but I'll end with the question below:

Would I do what I do if I did not need a job to pay my bills?

My answer is honestly yes, I probably would even enjoy it more.

Do I end most weeks feeling physically, mentally and sometimes emotionally tapped out? ABSOLUTELY. But just like today, I find myself excited to jump back in even after a long weekend of shifts and that is why I know that I love what I do.

I hope that what you do brings you joy.

Have a beautiful week.

Love

M.I