Why I love my Job

Medicine is a long route. Frustrating. Understaffed, and full of challenges. Yet, I love my job.

I was at a fantastic pub the other day just west of London, sitting with colleagues and we were discussing the challenges of our job. It was a group of five and a question was asked: How many of us would encourage our little cousins to become doctors?

The majority said they wouldn’t. Some vehemently refused to allow anyone junior to them to enter the profession. However, I was the only one of the five who said yes! This made me wonder… Why do I like my job so much?

I have many reasons to dislike it. You must commit to the profession from a very early age. I trained in India and, as some of you may know, the NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Exam) is STRESSFUL. The recent scandals, possible cancellation of the results, and all sorts of drama adds to the already seemingly impossible task of selection into a medical programme in the country.

I was 16 when I started to study hard for the NEET entrance exam. Some begin even earlier. I would attend high school from 7am-2pm, then coaching classes from 4pm- 8pm in the evening. These classes would occur 5-6 days during the week and would be long lectures and tests that were meant to prepare us for the NEET. Other children just like me attend these lessons for two to four years and we finally sit the test at the age of 18. One exam that occurs once a year would decide the fate of millions of young children who wanted to become a doctor.

I was lucky enough to get into the University of my choice. Then, I studied hard for 5 and a half years and watched as my friends from school who had entered different professions finished University well before I did and started working in well-paying jobs. “How lucky!” I thought. They don’t have to depend on their parents for their finances anymore.

I then sat my final examinations at the age of 24 and passed. Hooray! I’m finally a doctor. I can now start work…. Work meant regular 9-5s for 4 days of the week, with one 30-hour shift in the week. Meaning, my colleagues and I would work such that the shift would begin at, say, 9am on a Friday and finish at 13:00 on the Saturday. We would often joke that our week was made of, not 7 days, but five as we would lose one whole day in working an extremely long shift, and the next sleeping.

My friend Neha and I, working one of those long hours! Our first job as a Doctor was during the second wave of the pandemic. We really had to cover up!

Pay is meagre in the beginning. The assumption that doctors make a lot of money can be true, but only when you are highly qualified. This occurs only after the age of 35 or 40 because it takes that long to qualify and train! My first ever salary was a “stipend” of 10,000 rs a month (or close to 100 pounds). It felt like the hospital was giving us pocket money.

The job itself is physically taxing. I’m always on my feet while at work, going from one patient to the next, running from one end of the hospital to the other to arrange investigations and jumping to my feet when my bleep announces a cardiac arrest. We work shifts which frequently change. This means in one week we could be working 12-hour days, nights, or normal working days- this disturbs my body clock! Sleep, energy levels, physique, and mood take a hit. Not to mention the number of dead bodies we see. A senior of mine (whom I respect very much) pointed out to me that we are the only section of the civilian population that sees and examines dead bodies on a weekly basis. The process of declaring a death feels strange.

Thus, we arrive at the initial question. Why do I love my job?

I believe it is because the science of medicine makes my skin tingle and my heart race. Every patient feels like a puzzle I need to solve- and the prize at the end of it is a life saved, or a difference made in their quality of life.

Admittedly, it is tough to get a seat in a medical college, or a job as we compete against thousands. However, if you love what you do, the study and hard work is much easier!

I suppose most fields have their own difficulties. Life just isn’t easy. I think it’s all about choosing your pros and cons!

I chose to slog in healthcare, and deal with the initial hard work that left me feeling like I hadn’t lived enough by the time I turned 25. However, now that I’m a junior doctor soon to enter ophthalmology training, I have a lot more control over my time. I meet my friends often and hit the clubs when I can! I get paid enough to afford travel and have visited loads of countries with my boyfriend.

I remember my days at medical school and reminisce rather than regret on the times spent in the corridors revising for examinations. I am glad for my education as I am at a position wherein, I can say that I have gained expertise in the field that I am passionate about.

I now notice that the friends who gained financial freedom at an early age are well into their tough careers that have their own challenges. A good friend of mine is a Lawyer and is so successful! She works extremely hard. Another works in finance and talks to me about his own challenges, that makes me feel like mine are not so bad. My boyfriend is an industrial engineer, and his working hours are even longer than mine!

Yes, it’s hard to work on my feet all the time, running from one task to the next feeling constantly on edge because if you don’t perform your task well, an individual’s life would be affected. It’s strange to perform tasks like sticking needles into people’s arteries or fingers up their bum to release their stool and treat their constipation. However, I would much rather do per- rectal examinations than sit at a desk all day and work on excel sheets and presentations. I chose my Con!

At the end of the day, I return home with the words of my patients ringing in my ears. “Thank you doctor, I feel much better now”, “I was really scared before but speaking to you has made me feel reassured”, “doctor I want to give you some Biryani! When can I bring it?”. (Those biryanis are YUMMY by the way).

This article is different from the ones I usually write. It’s a reflection on the joy I feel and why! Feel free to share it with someone you think needs to read it.

Happy reading :)