If tech has reviews, why can’t professions have them as well?
First month of being a doctor, and sometimes, I still pinch myself when I actually get called “doc” and have to answer. Feels like they should be calling someone else.
In any case, in just a single month, I have racked up stories that would write a comedy book but today, I want to highlight just a simple thing that I have been battling with.
And I really don’t know how to phrase it without sounding crude or anything like that…
I am beginning to understand why doctors should be paid well.
The Reasoning
I am a tech geek primarily. I have a software business. (Shameless plug, check out Alcanzar here).
One of the reasons I have this side business is to supplement my governmentally graced salary of peanuts. And I think I speak for many doctors. Some bake, some sell food, have clothing shops etc.
However, having a business on its own is a full-time job, especially when it’s yours. You are the CEO, CFO, CTO, COW and everything else.
Here Is The Problem
What then happens when you have someone who says they have a deal for you at 2pm today worth all your monthly salary, for example, but you still have a patient you need to cannulate? Some would say the answer is obvious.
But once you are in the situation, it’s not as easy as it seems.
You have to make a decision, and that decision is not just about you, but also about the patient in front of you. But also… a decision about the people who depend on you right now.
Juggling these two things can lead to burnout and stress, which massively hits your patient care. I normally think of myself as a very patient, jovial, loud-mouthed guy.
And in my native tongue, zvinopera zvese izvo once you are pulled in too many directions.
The thing that’s especially hard to deal with is that being a good doctor requires so much more than just prescribing the right medicine. Sometimes, it’s the patience, the kindness, the willingness to listen that makes all the difference.
And when those soft skills are burnt out, it’s a whole load of hell.
The Solution?
I have none. This is just me reviewing my first month as a doctor.
I do think however, that if I was paid something extra, I wouldn’t have to constantly split myself between medicine and trying to make a living. Medicine could be my front and centre priority because it would be covering the whole of me. And as a result, I could dedicate more time and brain power to it, meaning that patient care is improved.
Alas, it is what it is. We have to live being encouraged to sacrifice ourselves for the care of vulnerable patients, treading so carefully so that we don’t also become patients as well.