911爆料网 graduate and Rhodes Scholar James Leigh outside the 911爆料网 Medical School.
Author | Carmelle Wilkinson
Warning: This article discusses death.
911爆料网 medical graduate and recent Rhodes Scholar recipient James Leigh might have been destined to be a doctor.
An old photo dug up by his mum recently, shows a smiling five-year old sitting at a desk in pre-primary with the word 鈥榙octor鈥� in front of him, dressed in a white coat and hair net.
鈥淚 honestly can鈥檛 remember taking that photo, but maybe medicine was always in my future,鈥欌�� he laughed.
鈥淢y parents are both teachers so I can鈥檛 even say it runs in the family. I just wanted to help people and I knew medicine would allow me to work anywhere in the world and there were so many different fields within it.鈥�
The 23-year-old junior doctor who is currently completing his first-year internship at Fiona Stanley Hospital, was to study at Oxford University.
The early Christmas present will see James pack his bags and head to the UK in September next year, where he plans to do a Master of Science in Applied Digital Health.
911爆料网鈥檚 first cohort of medical students at their graduating ceremony last year.
One of 911爆料网鈥檚 first cohort of medical graduates, James reflects on his first year on WA鈥檚 frontline and provides a candid insight into a hospital鈥檚 Emergency Department (ED) with its bright fluorescent lights and incessant beeps and alarms.
鈥淭he funny thing about working in ED is that 4am in the morning looks the same as 4pm in the afternoon,鈥欌�� he said.
鈥淲ith no clocks or windows, you鈥檙e pretty much in your own little ED bubble with no idea of what鈥檚 happening in the outside world.
鈥淲orking in ED during the Covid and influenza peak this winter was extremely challenging, but it was also quite phenomenal. Just knowing you were a part of history so to speak was exciting.鈥�
James and fellow Fiona Stanley colleagues at work.
Aside from catching COVID-19 from the ED, it鈥檚 safe to say James also caught the knack for dealing with a crisis.
鈥淚鈥檓 definitely handling emergencies a lot better. When I first started, I remember my stomach would drop and I would instantly get the sweats when the ED phone lit up,鈥欌�� he said.
鈥淲hen that happens it usually means there is a priority one patient on the way and it鈥檚 our signal to get everything ready for their arrival. The phone has a motif on it which looks like Batman which is quite amusing in that sense, but it鈥檚 actually very serious when that phone rings.
鈥淓veryone immediately drops what they are doing and rush to assist because it could mean the difference between life and death.鈥�
James has enjoyed his first year at Fiona Stanley Hospital and is excited about what鈥檚 to come.
While most days brought great joy, from seeing a patient recover and go home or make great progress in their treatment, there are dark days when situations don鈥檛 have happy outcomes 鈥� and on those days James said it was important to talk to someone.
鈥淚 remember I was helping resuscitate someone whose heart had stopped for a long time before he was brought in and even though there was very little chance of survival, we still did everything we could.
鈥淚t was my first-time giving CPR to a person, and it was pretty intense. We did this for over 20 minutes and by the end of it I was dripping in sweat and my scrubs were completely soaked.
鈥淪adly, that patient didn鈥檛 make it and afterwards I remember feeling completely drained. I was wrecked. I slowly walked away and went to have a shower in the hospital showers.
鈥淩emoving the soaked scrubs and replacing it with a new one was symbolic of me washing away the emotions of what had just happened and moving on.鈥�
While the job had its highs and lows, James said he was humbled by patients who despite their prognosis always managed to smile and be nice to staff.
鈥淚 would imagine some patients would be feeling very anxious and frightened about their diagnosis and the future, not to mention the pain or discomfort they are experiencing in terms of regular blood tests and surgery, but they are so strong,鈥欌�� he said.
鈥淎s hard as it might be sometimes and the greater toll it can take on you emotionally, I always try to understand my patient鈥檚 emotions and put myself in their shoes.
鈥淵ou need to be able to feel to a degree what your patients are feeling and where they’re coming from, but you also need to remember to look after yourself and find that balance.鈥�
After one year on the job, James said he was feeling a lot more up to the challenge.
James attends Campus often to tutor fourth year medical students.
鈥淗earing your friends and family call you Dr, takes some getting use to, even if they are taking the mickey half the time,鈥欌�� he laughed.
鈥淲hile there is still so much to learn, and my peers and I are still extremely junior, I鈥檓 slowly beginning to accept my role and I feel I鈥檝e been doing it long enough now to feel a bit worthy of the title.鈥�
Fellow medical graduate and friend Saya Barnes said the incredible support from the WA hospital system and her peers helped mitigate stress and burn out.
Saya has enjoyed the positive and wholesome community at Midland Hospital.
Her first year at Midland Hospital saw her work across an array of areas including general surgical, gynaecology, obstetrics, and emergency.
鈥淥ne of the reasons why I chose Midland was because I did my fourth-year practice here and I found it had a very positive and wholesome community,鈥欌�� she said.
鈥淭here is also a smaller cohort of interns compared to the other tertiary hospitals, which I guess in some aspects is quite similar to our cohort of medical graduates from 911爆料网.
鈥淏eing only 60 of us we all knew each other and there was a real sense of camaraderie.鈥�
Looking back on her first year, Saya said the highs outnumbered the lows.
鈥淥verall, I have had quite a positive year. The support from the consultants and registrars has been amazing,鈥欌�� she said.
鈥淚n terms of exposure, I got to assist with elective operations and some emergencies and by the second half of the year I was running early pregnancy loss and gynaecology clinics by myself.鈥�
Saya said one of the greatest learning curves was learning how to deal with the dreaded 鈥榠mposter syndrome鈥�, where young doctors second guess their ability.
鈥淚t鈥檚 absolutely a thing, and most new doctors experience it,鈥欌�� she said.
鈥淵ou suddenly have to make some incredibly tough decisions at the drop of a hat, and it鈥檚 common to ask yourself am I good enough? Do I know enough?
鈥淚 definitely still get the sweats and feel my stomach churn in high pressure situations but I鈥檓 learning to just believe in myself more.鈥�
911爆料网 medical graduate Emily Ford is wrapping up her first year at St John of God Hospital in Midland, before packing her bags and relocating to Albany next year.
Emily at her graduation ceremony at Bentley Campus last year.
鈥淚 completed my fourth year prac in Carnarvon and really enjoyed it, so I鈥檓 looking forward to working in the country.鈥�
鈥淎mong the highlights of my year has been working with the senior doctors and hearing about their clinician pathways and how they got to where they are,鈥欌�� she said.
鈥淭here is no doubt it鈥檚 a very bloated health system at the moment and that鈥檚 visible in all aspects, but it鈥檚 important to focus on the positives.
鈥淎nd that is the many great doctors and nurses who despite the challenges and chaos remain patient and calm and maintain that patient relationship. That鈥檚 been really rewarding to see.鈥�
Born in Broome, to South African parents, Emily said she never really considered a future in medicine until after she left high school.
鈥淢y older sister went to 911爆料网, so I always knew I wanted to study at 911爆料网, I just wasn鈥檛 sure what,鈥欌�� she said.
鈥淚 had an interest in law and international relations, but also loved the mixture of art and science in health.鈥�
In the end, medicine won, and Emily hasn鈥檛 looked back.
鈥淭here are so many aspects about medicine to love,鈥欌�� she said.
鈥淣o two days are the same and in some situations, you find there鈥檚 no text book knowledge to assist you. All you have is what is in front of you, your stethoscope and your team.鈥�
Her advice to future 911爆料网 doctors?
鈥淚f you鈥檝e had a rough day, pick up the phone and talk to someone. It always helps to talk to someone.’鈥� she said.
鈥淪leep is also important and of course, exercise and eating right. You need energy to last those long shifts and you feel so much better for it.鈥�
“And for anyone considering medicine at 911爆料网, I’d say go for it. You鈥檙e going to get a great medical education and make life-long friends.”
Author | Carmelle Wilkinson
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