A typical day for an IMT doctor and possible shifts will largely depend on the specialty you are working in. In this post, I will describe a typical day for an internal medicine doctor working in the cardiology department and taking on calls in the general medical rota.
Understanding the IMT Shifts
The job plan depends on the specialty. For an internal medicine doctor in the cardiology department, the shifts include taking on calls in the general medical rota, with a mix of different shifts and working on the cardiology ward and clinic There are various shifts including the regular 9 am to 5 pm day shifts, longer 9 am to 9:30 pm stretches, the night shift from 9 pm to 9:30 am, and twilight shifts from 1 pm to 10 pm in the ambulatory medicine unit.
Inside the 9-to-5 Window
Most of my work falls within the 9 am to 5 pm bracket. In addition to joining ward rounds and doing the jobs that come from it, I have to juggle clinic duties, get procedures signed off, attend teachings, courses, and find time to complete the MRCP examinations. These are all essential for my training progression.
Before the Ward Round
On a typical 9 to 5 day, I wake up at 7 am, have a quick breakfast usually cereal of some sort, have a quick shower, pack my lunch, and dress up for work. I do a 20-minute drive to the hospital and get to the ward at about 8:30 am. I use this 30 minutes before the ward round starts to prepare for it. During this prep period, I review the notes of the new admissions and note down in my jotter their names, ages, sex, bed numbers, presenting complaints, diagnoses, and pertinent investigations supporting the diagnoses/outstanding investigation to confirm the working diagnoses. This 30-minute exercise helps me follow the ward round better and understand what is going on with the patient so I can contribute meaningfully during the round. It also helps me develop the investigative thinking and troubleshooting skills necessary for an internist.
Navigating the Ward Round as an IMT
The consultant joins us at 9 am, and we start with a board round involving nurses, physiotherapists, social workers, and discharge managers. This is where we discuss patients ready for discharge and tackle complex social and discharge issues. The ward round runs from 9:30 am till about noon, after which the junior doctors sort out the most urgent jobs and then proceed to our lunch break. After the lunch break, we crack on with the rest of the ward job or proceed to attend a clinic or educational event if one was planned for the afternoon.
After the Ward Round
Every other week, the training deanery organizes teachings in the afternoon for internal medicine trainee (IMT) doctors to keep us up to date. Once a week, there usually is a journal club meeting between 12 to 1 pm where a member of the cardiology team critically appraises a journal article or presents an interesting case, which is usually sponsored by very generous pharmaceutical companies. If there are no educational activities and ward staffing allows, I join a clinic in the afternoon and see a couple of patients with a consultant. If there is no scheduled educational stuff or pre-arranged clinic, I am on the ward till 5 pm, tying up loose ends from the round and completing discharge letters. At 5 pm, I call it a day and head home.
Beyond Work Hours
In the summer, I sometimes hit the tennis court to play a match if enrolled in a league or just play a casual game. During winter, I mostly sit at home working on a project or studying for an exam(required for progression in IMT) if there is one around the corner. I also use the time to catch up with calls and chats from friends and family. Occasionally, I use the period to plan what I want to do with that time in the future. If I am feeling lazy, which I do a lot of the time, I lounge in the sitting room and watch a show on Netflix or YouTube till 11 pm or 12 am and then retire to bed.
That’s a typical day for me—a mix of hospital hustle, a touch of leisure, and a weak effort to keep things balanced.
PS:
There is this vegetable/fruit chopper I have recently come across and can not recommend it enough to everyone. It is the highest value-for-money item I have purchased in recent times. I have used it almost daily since I bought it a few weeks ago. You should have one in your kitchen if you want to cut your cooking time in half and or add more vegetable or fruit salad to your diet for just half the work.
Link to the multi-purpose vegetable chopper.
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