Hey everyone reading this!
Thought I'd introduce myself here, given that I'm still getting used to using this forum, and that the only button that I can find, which says "POST" is here!
I'm a second year postgraduate medical student from Griffith Uni, at the Gold Coast in QLD. My undergraduate degree was physiotherapy. I'm currently working casually as a physiotherapist in age care and neuro rehabilitation. My interests/hobbies include playing basketball, volleyball and squash, watching movies, dining out and sleeping!!! (I definitely need more of that!)
Although it's still very early years, the medical specialities that I'm interested in at the moment and why include:
- Orthopaedic surgery: I'm good with my hands (not my feet however!), I work frequently with Orthopods and I feel they do a great job with improving patient's functioning, and I like performing musculoskeletal assessments! :P
- Neurology: I currently work in age care and neuro rehabilitation and it's really interesting! You'd be surprised how elderly patients present so differently to younger patients with the same condition. It's a challenging area, but very rewarding when you see a stroke patient undergoing your management plan, and after 6-7 months, they start walking with progressively greater function!
- General Practice: You can be asked to see any possible case, from any field of medicine, and best of all, you basically try to diagnose them. I love solving puzzles, and as a GP I believe problem solving takes basically the whole consultation. You're involved with the continual process of managing the patient's condition, so you get the know the patient (and their family) really well. Plus it has the flexibility to get your family and lifestyle set up.
Thought I'd share those reasons with you all. Perhaps you thought about these specialties or other specialties, and was a bit confused about what you liked more or what would suit you me, feel free to comment here :)
Ahh true words from the GPSN ambassador :) Welcome Tran!
P.S. GPSN = General Practice Student Network :P
Hi Howie ^_^ I'm here now! Nice post! I totally agree with your comments on general practice. We are in a huge shortage of GPs, so I think it's really important that we promote the benefits of becoming a GP. Hence, I thought I'd compile a little list outling the beauty of general practice:
- Be a diagnostician
- Being an 'all-rounder'
- No hospital bureaucracy
- Be your own boss
- Freedom - set your own work hours
- Flexibility - practice anywhere in Australia
- Community based
- Prevent disease
- Continuity of Care
- Less formal doctor-patient relationships
- High Income Potential - private, bulk bill, combine both!
- Individual Development - undertake advance training in a special interest, eg. ObsGyn, Surgery, Anaesthetics, Paeds, etc.
Well, that's my little contribution ^_^ Hopefully it will have some impact somewhere! hehe xox!
Hey Grace, yup I am, looking after the Griffith students here :)
Waiting for those promo flyers, but the site is so useful, so much information about life after med school
Hey, I hear you're one of the My Medical Career student reps. Congratulations. HOw are you enjoying the job.