Running down the Microtubules

Studying medicine involves lots of following around Proper Grownups (clinicians) and watching what they do, be it ward rounds, clinics, seeing patients, operations. And the environment is never actually designed to accommodate med students. Despite the fact we’ve ALWAYS been a part of medical training. And if you hang too far back, not only do you run the risk of looking disinterested or rude, but you won’t hear or see any of the useful learning material. Stand too close, or in the wrong place, and the Real Doctors TM are going to have to get you to move, or dance around you, every time they need to do something. And they are frequently rushing around and doing things that you can’t really help with, but don’t want to actively hamper. Like treating patients.

When you’re a student, the last thing you want to do is get in the way, because you already feel like your mere existence is obtrusive (a feeling only reinforced by some patients being hostile to having students, and some clinicians making no effort to make you feel welcome or a part of the team), so of course you want to avoid getting in the way whilst maximising your learning. And trying not to get in the way is something that only continues as you graduate, because a being junior doctor still feels almost as awkward as being a student. On the plus side, this teaches you to be acutely aware of what is happening in a clinical situation and how to read your seniors in order to predict what they’ll want, or where they’ll want you to be. And you’ll learn a lot about being always prepared and absolutely organised in the process…