Category: Relatable

Categories
Internship Relatable

Internship Lingo 101 : 11 terms you learn during MBBS internship

Internship is a new world out there, when it’s your waking up call, the bubble burst you feel of getting out into the world, where you have to study and work.
With new things that soon become old like blood Collections, iv, etc, you’re sure to learn some new words, very specific for your work environment, and sooner than you realise you become a part of it, with the Lingo soon a part of your tongue

1. BAD / Crash

When the condition of a patient is serious or is deteriorating.
Ex. Ye patient bad Horaha hai, intern me sone jaarahi isse monitor kr.

2. Trace

This word has a lot of power to induce terror in any intern’s heart. It is the sophisticated and highly skilled job of asking for reports that still don’t exist because they are yet to be processed , but an intern is a highly qualified superhero with power to bring it out of thin air.
Ex. Iska CT, MRI, USG, Xray, HBCBC, lft, rft,……….. Trace kar.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by The Indian Medical Student (@theindianmedico) on

3. Maaf Marna

This oxymoron can send you for a twist. Where one word, displays the power of forgiveness, the other doesn’t shy from supporting violence. If they say, English is a funny language, can hindi be far behind?
Maaf Marna is what your houseman, reg, lecturer, hou, hod and Co intern will use to denote you do ‘kaamchori’ or ‘aalsipan’ because even though internship is so interesting where you learn so many new things like collecting blood from different veins, how can you get bored?

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by The Indian Medical Student (@theindianmedico) on

4. Extra hai / Tox dete hai/ Toxic

Aşk questions is what your teacher taught you, but you will meet some patients who were extremely diligent students and will not stop asking questions.
Doc kya hua? Doc isse kya khilae? Kitna khilae? Paani pilae? Kitna glass? Kitna padhai kar we? Aur Kitna pareshaan kare?
To do justice so such innovative questions, use innovation – ye relative bahut extra hai, bahut tox deta hai

5. IV out hai!

The phrase which can spark panic among interns waiting to run away from the ward. The scale of rating a nurse can be easily deduced by the number of times they say, ‘iska iv out hai’, with an inverse relation between between the likeability of the nurse and how many times ‘iv out hai’, she says.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by The Indian Medical Student (@theindianmedico) on

6. Bat karna

It’s literally batting where the patient is tossed from one department to the other or at times even from one hospital to the other, kyunki isme to wo department ke symptoms hai so holistic approach gaya tel lene.

7. Charas Karna /Pipe Karna

When the houseman/junior resident makes you do a lot of work, akin to getting a high because he lives in a delusional world where the intern is the servant (Wait, isn’t it the reality).

8. STAT

This has to be the most dreaded word. It means without delay! 
‘Iska iv stat. Iska collection stat. Come here stat.
Come here if you have fever stat.
Come here even if you’re dying, Stat.’

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by The Indian Medical Student (@theindianmedico) on

9. CL

CL, casual leave, which is granted to you but no one knows how many you can use at one time? Can you carry forward it? Can you use it in your repeat postings? No one knows, we definitely need an orientation regarding the usage of our CL.
Cl is the hope that someone out there still cares about interns and have humanly given them holidays.
Eg. ‘Can I want use my CL in medicine posting’
Error, 404 – Not found.

10. Femoral maar/ Radial maar/ Brachial maar

God forbid, when you don’t get any veins or when you need a large amount of blood or you have to do an abg, you need to rely on Femoral, Radial and Brachial. Since pricking them is like beating them, so ‘maar’. This is just my interpretation, God knows how did it originate, but it’s definitely going to stay.

11. P.S.Y

When you know the patient comes to the emergency room feigning symptoms and you know that they need a psychiatry referral but you need to put it subtly to your co-workers.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by The Indian Medical Student (@theindianmedico) on

 

Internship is a different experience altogether, different from the years you have studied.
It’s an exposure to different new experiences and languages, but the most common Lingo that you’ll hear everywhere, which will haunt you in your dreams, which will make you turn your head or make you still is one phrase, only and only,
‘AE INTAAAN!!’

 

This post has been written by Dr. Saad Ahmed who is an intern at Seth GS Medical College. 

If you would like to write for this blog, head to our contribute page!

[jetpack_subscription_form title=”Like this article?” subscribe_text=”Subscribe for FREE and get articles directly to your inbox. Never miss an update” subscribe_button=”Subscribe FREE”]

Categories
Relatable

A “moment” to gift yourself this Doctors’ Day

The practice of medicine is loaded with emotions. A patient experiences fear, anxiety, anger, sadness and joy when they interact with physicians. This is probably what comes to our mind when we think about emotions in the medical field. But do we, as doctors, know how we feel?

With every case brought into the emergency room, or, with every surgery taking place in the operation theater, there is so much that goes on in our hearts and minds.

From hope that we can help our patient, to despair if things go wrong. From the fear of making a mistake to having the courage to use the scalpel. From the joy of placing a baby in its mother’s hands to the sorrow of having to tell a family that their loved one is no more. We experience it all! There are a myriad of emotions that we face with every patient interaction that we have. I guess all these emotions ultimately lead us to feeling burnt out.

We are expected not to participate in these emotions so that the accuracy of our clinical judgement is unhampered. We are expected to be empathetic as well as detached at the same time. This is considered to be the “secret of the ideal physician.”

But it’s easier said than done. We are the same as everyone else, we also have emotions but our profession requires us to be skillful while dealing with our patients feelings (and ours!). In fact we have to let go of what we are going through in our personal lives because the well being of our patient is paramount. Whether it is losing a loved one, a broken marriage, or your child saying their first words, nothing can get in the way of patient care.



People think maybe we just get used to all the suffering, to all the life and death that happens around us each day. Well, let me tell you it does not become easier with each passing day. Not after 10 years, not after 20. We relive every emotion as though we experience it for the first time.

No one really teaches us how to deal with all these emotions. Med school gives us clinical knowledge and skills, life saving procedures but not a guide to our emotions. We learn how to deal with all these emotions the hard way. Sometimes, so overwhelmed by them, we can’t take it anymore. I guess this is one of the reasons for the rising incidence of depression and suicide among doctors and medical students.

May be this Doctor’s Day it is time for us to take a step back and hit the pause button in our emotion filled lives (obviously not if you’re performing CPR right now!). This doctor’s day let us gift ourselves this moment to feel and understand each emotion that life throws our way. Understanding our emotions will give us the power to use them to drive us forward. Let us take this moment to smile and pat ourselves on the back. After all it is not easy being a doctor.

Happy Doctors’ Day!

– Dr. Shreya Sodhani

-Dr. Rohit Nathani

[jetpack_subscription_form title=”Like this article?” subscribe_text=”Subscribe for FREE and get more of such articles directly to your inbox. Never miss an update” subscribe_button=”Subscribe Now”]

Categories
Relatable

Interns’ Strike 2018 : Why I deserve more than 6k.

Who am I?

I am a medical intern. After clearing one of the toughest entrance exams in the country (NEET UG), I got into medical school.

While my colleagues in other fields graduated and started getting “on campus” placements, I was in the library, trying to decode diseases. Trying to understand the human body, so that some day my knowledge will help save someone’s life, or in the very least, bring a smile on someone’s face. But I didn’t mind that. I loved this subject and learning about medicine gave me joy.

So, after going through 4.5 years of medical school, constantly studying and giving exams, I was told that I can now prefix my name with ‘Dr.’ – a milestone that every medical student dreams about. Excited, I put up my Facebook status telling the world that I too have completed my formal classroom and clinic teaching.

It was time to start my internship. Something all my friends from other streams did in their summer vacation. I was fascinated by the work experience and the pay they got during their internship.

That’s the basic background on how I came to be a medical intern.

 

How much am I paid currently?

Rs. 6,000 a month. (Yes! you heard that right. Rs. 6,000)

 

How much do interns in other states get paid?

This number varies as per the state. For example, Assam Rs. 20,000, Bihar Rs. 15,000, etc. The stipend in Maharashtra is the lowest in the country. Since the Maharashtra Government loves to maintain its position at the extremes, we are charged the highest fees during our MBBS – Rs. 78,000.

Why does the government charge us the highest fees and pay us the lowest stipend?

 

What happens to the Rs. 6,000 (minus administrative fees)?

For convenience sake, let’s take a round figure of Rs. 6,000/month, that’s Rs. 200 a day (around $3) slightly above the international poverty line $1.90/day. YAY!)

I am supposed to manage expenses for food (x3 meals), travel and accommodation. Just the basic requirements, that are barely fulfilled. Not to mention I am also a 21st century millennial who likes to eat out occasionally, go out with friends, etc. ( but who cares right?)

Belonging to a middle-class family, my parents can afford to pay for these miscellaneous expenses. But what about those who cannot? And even if they can, everyone has the hope that someday they will earn and be able to support themselves (maybe even save a little?).

One of the reasons why we never learn about saving and investing (essential skills these days) as medical students –

We barely have enough to spend for our daily needs, forget saving!

 

Let’s get a better understanding of the Life of an MBBS Intern.

 

What work do I do?

Internship is supposed to be a “learning experience”. The time when you learn to practically apply the knowledge you have amassed over the years. But, our internship is nothing like that!

What internship actually teaches you

  • Collect blood
  • Insert IV lines/ Catheters
  • Fill out forms and trace reports
  • Follow orders
  • Follow more orders
  • Do not question, do not think, just do what you are told to do!

Where’s the learning and experience in this? By the end of internship I am just an over qualified phlebotomist/ nurse who knows how to follow orders. I cannot treat a patient independently with confidence by the end of internship.

What was the point of learning the science when I can’t practice the art?

My work hours?

My average work week is 6 hours a day for 5 days and one day emergency duty of 24 hours.

That means a 54 hour work week (Something that is nearly always exceeded. ATLEAST 60 hours to tell you the truth).

 


My working conditions

Since patient care will suffer (and I won’t get internship completion) I continue to do the menial jobs I am forced to do.

Because collecting blood is 90% of my work, I am constantly exposed to the threat of acquiring infections.

Combine stress, burnout, lack of sleep and countless patients piling up- we have for ourselves the perfect recipe for “a needle stick injury”. That means sometimes having to take HIV medicines for a month. Ask someone who has taken these medications. They make you really sick, nauseous, sometimes even worse. And do I get any compensation? NO! I still show up for work.

TB is a huge problem facing this country. Yes! I am exposed to it daily. Not only TB, my entire work environment is a bio hazard. There is disease all around me. Talk about high risk environments.

Add to that, I am constantly under the threat of being beaten up while doing my job.

But I am a doctor and I am supposed to deal with that. Right?

 

Even after working so much, do we have the rest of the time for ourselves?

Apart from managing all the workload and frustration that internship is, we somehow must find time to study during the rest of the day (or night). If you thought that NEET (UG) was one of the toughest exams, we must now prepare for something way tougher. Don’t even get me started on how we prepare for 19 subjects for our postgraduate entrance!

 

To summarise

  • I am a medical intern
  • I work for 60hrs a week on an average
  • I do all the ground level work.
  • Although there is a structured program for interns it is not being implemented.
  • I work in a high-risk environment and am exposed to life threatening diseases daily.
  • I am paid less.

If our law states the minimum wages for skilled labour is Rs. 24,000, why are we paid one fourth? Are we not skilled enough?

 

What am I asking for?

Short Term

  • Increase in the stipend

Long term

  • A structured teaching program (that is actually implemented)
  • Fixed work hours
  • Better working conditions

If someone still feels our stipend should not be increased, I have just one question to ask you.

“Would you do it?”

 

Yours sincerely,

Intern (M.B.B.S)

P.S Doesn’t matter who I am. If this resonates with you too, share it and let the world know your story.

Interns (Fight for your present)

MBBS Students (Fight now for a better future)

Residents (Fight for your past)

Share the article with the #InternsUnited. Tag our Honorable Chief Minister @devendra.fadnavis and Honorable Health Education Minister @girishmahajanofficial . Please look into our concerns.

[jetpack_subscription_form title=”Like this article?” subscribe_text=”Subscribe for FREE and get more of such articles directly to your inbox. Never miss an update” subscribe_button=”Subscribe Now”]

Categories
Relatable

Which F.R.I.E.N.D.S character are you? [The MBBS Version]

“MBBS” – while technically this acronym stands for Medicinae Baccalaureus, Baccalaureus Chirurgiae (I bet most of you didn’t know that!), for many of us, MBBS is an emotion. An emotion that is hard to define, but it is for sure, a pleasant one. When someone asks you about your MBBS days, no matter how frustrating you may have found it at that point in your life, it will always bring up a lot of sweet memories.

But all these memories would be incomplete without your friends in them. In fact, you made these memories WITH your friends – those idiots with whom you spent five and a half years of your life.

Although each one of us thinks “our group” was unique, we all have friends that fit each of these F.R.I.E.N.D.S stereotypes (Yes! These were the personality descriptions from the original F.R.I.E.N.D.S script)

The Ross

Intelligent. Emotional. Romantic.

 

 

He’s good at studies, the hell yes! He gets that distinction in Medicine and Surgery. He’s got the girl (yes, he does go ‘on a break’ but gets into another serious relationship very soon). And he loves what he’s doing. Basically the “know it all”. Remember, he is always aware of what is going on around him UNAGI!

 

The Rachel

Spoiled. Adorable. Courageous yet Terrified of the world.

 

 

The modern city girl. She has never stayed away from home. MBBS is quite a shocker for her. She’s the one who complains about everything! The hostel food, the bed, the bed bugs, the toilet, the people, MBBS is so tough, I want to go home to my parents. But, she does learn how to adapt to situations in due and is loved by all in spite of her tantrums. She has the best fashion sense and her make up will be on fleek even for a that 8 am lecture.

 

The Monica

Smart. Cynical. Defended. Very attractive. Had to work for everything she had.

 

 

This girl in your group wants everything to be PERFECT! (Call it an OCD : after all we must sound like doctors, right?) Her class notes could pass of as a legit published textbook. Even her markings (color coded as per importance) in Harrison’s look like pieces of art. Admit it, we all have that girl in our group.

Their hostel room is the meeting place for all the gossip sessions – be assured you will be served great Coffee and Maggi (after all, she is the best chef).

They can be pretty headstrong and sometimes, could get into trouble because of all the stubbornness.


The Joey

Handsome. Macho. Smug. Loves women, sports and more women.

 

 

He organises the college fest. The girls are crazy for him, he is crazy for girls! He steals pretty much all the limelight all through the year. Except exam time! That’s when they turn to our Monica and Ross for quick fixes.They will study last minute from books you haven’t even heard of before. But, they pass. Next year begins and they are back in their game! They are very affectionate and fiercely protective of their friends. But keep in mind, THEY WILL NOT SHARE THEIR FOOD WITH ANYONE!

 

The Chandler

Droll. Dry. A curious observer of everyone’s life. Sarcastic.

 

 

They love cracking lame jokes and laughing at them too when all you can do is frown. You never know when they are (not) being sarcastic. They are not all that great at scoring marks, but, they wing it along. The Chandlers of your group are the ones who will just not smile in the millions of pictures we take.To quote the original FRIENDS script, they survive by way of their sense of humour. And snacks.

 

The Phoebe

Sweet. Flaky. A good soul.

 

 

The goofy one, weird one, they’re the ones we would medically label “Schizotypal”. They live in their own world. They don’t care much about the rat race. They are happy to just be here. And, who can forget their fun flirting and weird comments. They are spontaneous and creative – a skill that is very useful during vivas (Princess Consuela BananaHammock). They make up the best rhymes and jingles and generally provide you with an easy and sure shot way of remembering all those mnemonics.

 

Think about it. There will be people in your group who fit most of these categories. If you have identified your very own F.R.I.E.N.D.S, let them know! Share this article on Facebook and tag them in the comments.

P.S Don’t let them know which character they are. Let them keep guessing! 😛

[jetpack_subscription_form title=”Like this article?” subscribe_text=”Subscribe for FREE and get more of such articles directly to your inbox. Never miss an update” subscribe_button=”Subscribe Now”]

Categories
Relatable

The Emotional Playlist of the Indian Medical Student

Every medical student has a playlist of songs which they wish would be the background music to the drama that the life of the Indian medical student is. Whether you sing along to it off-key or bear that droning in your head just as you bear your burden, you can’t help but agree with this fun playlist of songs that you’ll relate to in situations that are so common in medical colleges!

1. When you realize the struggle isn’t over even after NEET (UG) (“Ae Zindagi Gale Laga Le”- Dear Zindagi  Soundtrack)

 

“Ae Zindagi Gale Laga Le, Hum Ne Bhi, Tere Har Ik Gam Ko Gale Se Lagaya Hai, Hai Na?”

 

Our parents, our teachers, our friends, everyone assured us- ’12th karle, fir aish hi hai.’ God, no! When the textbooks of Anatomy hit us on our face, we get slapped with the rude shock that MBBS is- a never-ending struggle to keep up with the syllabus without going into a mental breakdown. Needless to say, you are prepared to hear the same thing before NEET (PG), before the onslaught of residency starts, and the cycle begins again!

 

2.When the senior giving you ‘super IMP questions’ for the exam disappears suddenly (“Abhi Na Jao Chhod Kar”- Hum Dono Soundtrack)

“Abhi Naa Jaao Chhod Kar,

Ke Dil Abhi Bhara Nahi…”

This song leaves you with a forlorn feeling, mainly because the day before the exam, a senior leaving you, leaves you with a feeling akin to heartbreak. If not for these imps, an all-nighter would be futile, no? Without the support, HOW WILL YOU EVER PASS?

3. When the university exam blues finally hit you (“Aal Izz Well”- 3 Idiots soundtrack.)

“Dil Jo Tere Baat Baat Pe Ghabraaye,

Dil Pe Rakh Ke Haath Use Tu Fusala Le…

Arey Bolo Aal Izz Well!”

 

This quintessential motivational song that calms down palpitations with just 3 words, albeit wrongly pronounced, has undoubtedly helped us calm our nerves. Be it trembling hands while writing the paper or stuttering answers during vivas, this mantra has the power to make you automatically feel better- Although The Indian Medical Student doesn’t guarantee the effects, do let us know if it worked for you!

4. When you finally diagnose yourself with the rare condition called love (“Pehla Nasha”- Jo Jeeta Wahi Sikandar Soundtrack)

“Pehla Nasha, Pehla Khumaar,

Naya Pyaar Hai Naya Intezaar…”

 

Unfortunately, medical students aren’t very good at diagnosing themselves with this entity called “Pyaar.” Sleeplessness, loss of appetite, a certain predilection for a certain somebody and a new-found appreciation for hidden nooks and crannies- yes, that’s love. Amid exams and books, it’s difficult to find someone for you, but when you get that “entangling of stethos” moment and surreptitious glances across the library, grab it and never let it go!

5. When you diagnose a patient correctly (in your head) (“Aaj Mein Upar” – Khamoshi The Musical Soundtrack)

“Aaj Mein Upar, Aasmaan Neeche,

Aaj Mein Aage, Zamaana Hai Peeche…”

Do a little jig in your head! Go on, do it! Even if the patient only said that he had pain in the abdomen, YOU JUST KNEW IT, that it was gallstones. You are on your way to be an excellent clinician, never mind that there could have been many differentials for the same… That’s okay! You deserve some applause in the dreary life of a medical student, hai na?

6. When you’re the only intern on duty, and your existence has ceased to have meaning (“Jag Soona Lage”- Om Shanti Om Soundtrack)

“Jag Suna Suna Lage,

Koi Rahe Na Jab Apna…”

Sleep. Hunger. Isolation. You’ve fought it all. Being an intern is as good as a Hunger Games venture, without of course the bloodshed- oops, no! Even blood gets spilled during collections! When you thought that being an intern will be a learning experience, chann se tumhara sapna toota… Moreover, when you were left alone to handle the entire collection and simultaneously handle so many duties, jag soona ho hi gaya! Haaye, yeh beraham duniya!

7. When God blesses you with a sweet and helpful registrar: (“Yeh Tumhari Meri Baatein”- Rock On Soundtrack)

“Yeh Tumhari Meri Baatein,

Hamesha Yuhi Chalti Rahe…”

 

You can’t help falling in love with your registrar. It’s undoubtedly a match made in heaven, when your registrar helps you in your collections, signs on your journals readily,  teaches you when no one else even bothers to look in your direction, and in general is benevolent towards the lot of you. You hum happily under your breath- “Yeh Hamari Mulakaate, Hamesha Yuhi Chalti Rahe, Beete Yuhi Apne Saare Din Raat!”

 

Of course, there exist so many songs and so many moods! After all, 5.5 years of MBBS is filled with emotions and memories that will remain with you forever! Be it making lifelong friendships or learning life lessons, MBBS changes your life in myriad ways!

Here’s a song for when you’ll look back at MBBS and feel like “those were the best days of my life” 

“hum rahe ya na rahe, yaad aayenge yeh pal” by KK!

 

We would love to know which song you relate to the most or want to add to this playlist!

(Has anyone been able to decipher that horror film soundtrack that starts in your head when a patient starts heaving and you know that he’s going to vomit on you? I know, too specific, no? Not that it’s happened to me, but if you do find that out, let me know in the Comments Section below…)

 

– Devanshi Shah

Final year medical student

Seth GS Medical College and KEM Hospital, Mumbai

We would love to receive similar articles from you or know about your experiences. You can send in your article from the Contribute page and stand a chance to feature on our blog!

If you liked this article do share it with others too using our social share buttons!

[jetpack_subscription_form title=”Like this article?” subscribe_text=”Subscribe for FREE and get articles directly to your inbox. Never miss an update” subscribe_button=”Subscribe FREE”]